Malaysia announces minimum wage hike to 2,000 ringgit for workers

Malaysia has announced raising the minimum monthly wage for all workers, including foreign workers.

Presenting the 2027 budget on Friday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the minimum wage would be raised to about 2,000 ringgit.

According to PM Ibrahim, around 4 million workers employed in Malaysia will benefit once the new arrangement takes effect. Since it will also apply to foreign workers, Nepali workers employed there will also fall under its scope.

Under Malaysia's current minimum wage policy, in effect since 2025, the minimum monthly wage stands at about 1,700 ringgit.

Nepal Rastra Bank has fixed today's buying rate for 1 ringgit at Rs 37.78 and the selling rate at Rs 37.92. At the buying rate, the new minimum wage works out to about Rs 75,560 — around 300 ringgit, or about Rs 11,300, higher than the current wage.

When Malaysia first implemented its minimum wage policy in 2013, the wage was set at about 900 ringgit. It was subsequently raised to about 1,000 ringgit in 2016, 1,100 ringgit in 2019, and 1,200 ringgit in 2020. With the new wage rate, the amount will now be more than double what it was in 2013.