Social media platforms, like Twitter, have become a powerful tool for individuals to voice their concerns, as demonstrated by Rashifa’s viral post.
In her tweet, Rashifa highlights the vulnerability of interns who are not covered by Malaysia’s Employment Act. Interns often find themselves at the mercy of companies that offer little to no financial support. Many interns are burdened with expenses such as transportation, accommodation, and meals, making it challenging to sustain themselves during the internship period.
In an interview with WORLD OF BUZZ, Rashifa shared
“I’m advocating for this because I believe that interns should be paid no matter what and be safeguarded by legal provisions in Malaysia. With the rising cost of living in Malaysia, this further accentuates the need for interns to be paid.”
Rashifa emphasises the importance of providing legal protection to interns. Interns, like any other employees, should be entitled to a safe working environment, fair treatment, and reasonable working hours. By establishing legal frameworks that safeguard interns’ rights, the Malaysian government can prevent exploitation and rectify the current imbalance in the internship landscape.
Unpaid internships should not be seen as an opportunity for companies to extract labour from interns without proper compensation.
Critics argue that interns should be grateful for the learning experience and should not expect monetary compensation. However, Rashifa counters this viewpoint by highlighting instances where interns are subjected to the same workload as regular employees but receive significantly lower pay. She contends that a minimum wage, which itself may not be a dignified wage, should be the bare minimum for interns who contribute their time and efforts to organisations.
A call to action
Rashifa urges the government to address the issue of unpaid internships and advocate for the rights of interns. It is essential to rectify the existing imbalance in the internship system and ensure that interns are protected and adequately compensated. Without intervention, the exploitation of interns will continue, perpetuating financial and emotional hardships for aspiring professionals.
You can view the post below.
Starting my internship next semester, so I’ll be walking around with this to express my worry.
The gov increased min wage of RM1.5k, but this policy didn’t include interns.
Interns are unprotected by the employment act in Malaysia, hence the risk of exploitation by companies. pic.twitter.com/gxr6qmkZyq
— rashifa (@youngaljunied) June 14, 2023
So, what do you think? Share your thoughts below!
Also read: 22yo M’sian Intern in Hong Kong Gets Paid RM7K & Highlights the Importance of Mandarin Language
