Malaysia explores full salary transparency in job postings 

Job advertisements should come with a displayed salary range so that graduates can make informed decisions efficiently, the Malaysian government has proposed.

Dr Ahmed Razman Abdul Latiff, Associate Professor and Director of the MBA programme at Putra Business School (PBS), suggested that doing so would help graduates compare job offers before applying and would address the issue of declining wages among degree holders to minimum levels.

“If some employers continue to offer low salaries, it would be up to supply and demand. Graduates could then make a choice and opt for higher-paying positions,” he said, in reply to Rafizi Ramli, Malaysia’s Minister of Economy, who expressed concerns that the starting salaries for degree holders in the country were not significantly different from the minimum wage for unskilled employees at RM1,500 (USD $331.73) per month, reported New Straits Times.

Dr Ahmed Razman also suggested the creation of a dedicated online portal that could display the different job positions and corresponding average salary rate, referring to it as a great source for graduates to observe suitable salary rates for the positions they are applying for. “We want to avoid situations where employers take advantage and offer low salaries to graduates,” he added.

READ MORE: Malaysia considers progressive wage policy to raise salaries 

Offering reasons for low starting salaries amongst graduates, economics expert Professor Emeritus Dr. Barjoyai Bardai cited a perception among some employers that graduates lack the desired skills for certain job positions.

“This is actually going against the tide, as in other professions such as medicine, even trainee doctors receive salaries commensurate with medical officers because they perform similar duties,” he explained.