M’sian Employers Can’t Lower Job Requirements to Avoid RM2,500 Starting Salary for Graduates, Says Deputy Minister

Fresh graduates and job seekers hunting for their first corporate breakthrough can breathe a huge sigh of relief as the government has issued a strict warning to employers attempting to pull fast ones just to dodge fair compensation.

Following recent announcements regarding fair starting wages, Deputy Human Resources Minister Datuk Khairul Firdaus Akbar Khan has firmly stated that employers will not be allowed to arbitrarily downgrade job requirements or classifications to bypass paying mandated starting salaries as reported by Kosmo!.

No more dropping Degree roles to SPM requirements

The crucial warning came to light during a question-and-answer session in the Dewan Rakyat, following concerns raised by Kuantan MP Wan Razali Wan Nor .

Lawmakers had expressed deep anxieties that cunning employers might exploit legal loopholes, such as lowering job qualifications from a University Degree down to a Diploma or Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) requirement, simply to avoid paying the upcoming minimum starting salary regulated for graduates.

Addressing the matter,  Datuk Khairul Firdaus assured the public that amendments to the National Wages Consultative Council Act 2011 (Act 732) will explicitly prevent such unfair practices.

“When this element is included, employers cannot easily or arbitrarily deny positions based on an employee’s educational qualifications,” he explained in Dewan Rakyat.

RM2,500 starting salary guidelines incoming by June 2027

Kosmo! further reported that the legislative updates are part of broader governmental efforts to safeguard young professionals entering the workforce. Responding to a separate query raised by Bukit Bendera MP Syerleena Abdul Rashid, the ministry confirmed that the National Wages Consultative Council (NWCC) is currently refining starting base salary guidelines mapped against the Malaysia Standard Classification of Occupations (MASCO).

These comprehensive guidelines are scheduled to be published alongside the rollout of the new Minimum Wage Order, which takes effect in June 2027. The framework aims to enforce a mandatory starting basic salary of RM2,500 per month for graduates and semi-skilled workers, as previously announced under Budget 2027.

Ensuring workforce readiness and industry relevance

Beyond clamping down on unfair hiring tactics, the government is also tackling job market alignment from the ground up. Through the Department of Manpower (JTM), training programs are continually evaluated to ensure they match industrial demands.

It was also reported that this includes utilising over 2,000 National Occupational Skills Standard (NOSS) frameworks, incorporating hands-on workplace training, and adapting curriculums to meet modern technological changes so that fresh graduates enter the market fully equipped for success.

What do you think of these upcoming measures to protect fresh graduates from underpaid roles? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

Also read: “Wages have gone up, but work is still slow” – PMX Warns Govt Agencies Against Slow Work Practices

Source: Utusan Malaysia
Source: 123RF