Getting underpaid should never be normalised!
Malaysians have been demanding for an increase in the country’s minimum wage for a while now and it seems that it’s going nowhere. To make matters worse, the cost of living has continued to increase and let’s not even get started on overpriced items.
Recently, a local university received unwanted attention for posting a job offer for a research assistant with a pay of only RM5 per hour!
The job offer was posted on a public Facebook group, BioMedical Science of Malaysia, but was then reposted on Twitter where it received backlash from users.
“We are looking for a temporary research assistant (RA) to work with us for at least 3 months. Preferable a candidate with lab work experience, can be independent and able to give full commitment in the research.”
With the description of the requirements and responsibilities that would be assigned, it does indeed look a lot like exploitation. Â
After all the backlash that they received, the employer apologised and updated the post by stating that there was a mistake. The job offer was actually  for a helper, and not a research assistant.
However, people were still furious due to the extremely low pay rate.
Slavery in the modern world
Twitter users expressed their anger and said that it was modern slavery in Malaysia.
“This is what abuse and slavery conditions look like in Malaysia.”
One Twitter even stated that this is academic slavery and said, “Malaysians are severely underpaid” and we totally agree!
Clownery at its best
Some even summarised it it into a meme which claimed that this was a big case of clownery.
Comparison on who pays better
A large number of Twitter users went on to compare the salaries that they received from their previous jobs. And it was way higher compared to the one offered by the local university.
“Wow. I earned this much as a part time waitress, in like 2002.”
Another user even mentioned that their maid gets even better pay, and that even includes cost of living and vacation trips.
“I can bet that her work is less demanding than in a bio lab,” claimed the user.
Every employee deserves to get paid better, especially after all the hard work and labour that they do on a daily basis.Â
Also read: Bangladeshi Tractor Driver In Terengganu Farm Earns A Monthly Salary of Nearly RM5,000!
