As all working adults know, looking for a job is easy. What is difficult is looking for a good job – one that provides a reasonable salary, adequate benefits and humane working hours.
However, these factors vary greatly between companies and locations.
Recently, Dr. Amalina Bakri, a Malaysian-born doctor currently living and working in the United Kingdom (UK), opened her Instagram direct messages to her followers to ask questions about her pregnancy.
Among the questions she answered, 2 stood out:
1. When does your maternity leave start and how long will you be on maternity leave?
My maternity leave starts the week of my due date (unless I give birth earlier). I can take up to 1 year of maternity leave. I think I may take 10 months so that Alex can also take up shared parental leave.
2. During your maternity leave, do you get full salary?
Full salary for the first 5 months from my workplace, then I will be on statutory maternity pay paid by the government.
Different organisations or companies have different policies, so it depends on where you work.
Dr. Amalina’s answers to the above questions captured the attention of Malaysians because they were shocked at how good the expecting mom’s maternity benefits are.
Netizens lament work benefits in Malaysia
On Twitter, the doctor’s post has gained traction with many Malaysians lamenting the poor work benefits and culture that does not encourage leave-taking in Malaysia.
“In Malaysia, even if we get leave, people will be envious and badmouth us.”
“It seems like this is how it is as long as it’s anywhere outside of Malaysia. The work benefits are really legitimate. In Malaysia, just EPF and SOCSO are already considered benefits. It’s crazy.”
“Industries were already complaining when people wanted to implement a 98 days maternity leave and 5 days paternity leave. In the end, the proposal was postponed.”
Wow, 1 year sounds amazing. It seems like Malaysia has some catching up to do!
Also read: The M’sian Government Has Extended Maternity & Paternity Leaves!
