IN 2024, Human Resources Minister Steven Sim Chee Keong revealed that nearly 1.86 million Malaysians, including skilled professionals, have moved abroad in search of better job opportunities.
While many seek higher salaries, one Malaysian shared that the biggest perk of working overseas isn’t just the pay—it’s the benefits that’s not easily found in many companies here.
Malaysian @aaaronwong recently took to Threads to highlight a major advantage of working in the Netherlands: employers fully cover commuting costs, whether by public transport or personal vehicle.
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“The best thing I like about working in the Netherlands compared to Malaysia – traveling costs to work are covered by the employer,” he wrote.
He contrasted this with practices in the Klang Valley, where some companies only reimburse travel expenses if the distance exceeds 20km.
“Not that claimable 20km within Klang Valley nonsense. Every day, if you take public transport or drive to work, you can claim it from the company.”
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To emphasise his point, he calculated the yearly cost of commuting in Malaysia. He noted that parking, petrol, and toll fees can easily accumulate to around RM7,000 annually—an amount substantial enough to fund a trip to Japan.
“(Parking + petrol + toll) x working days in a year ≈ RM7k a year. That’s one Japan trip.”
