Local newspaper “The Star” on 28 February, 2011 has revealed a wage increase survey in Malaysia 2011 organized by The Robert Walters, a professional recruitment consultant with more than 20 branches worldwide, that a wage increase of between 5% and 10% exclusive of bonus and other benefits presented in professionals from information and communication technology, accounting and financial industries, banking, logistics, and sales compared with last year. These figures were influenced by inflation rate and market conditions and it was expected that employees with 5 to 10 years of experiences were majority group that would benefit from wage increase.
Also, firms in those industries were willing to hire employees with high experiences and niche skills by offering high rates of salaries and tempting welfares in order to attract qualified local and foreign workers. According to the survey, employees in banking sector benefit biggest salary increase and the next below are ICT, accounting and financial industries, sales and marketing respectively.
Office of Labour Affairs in Malaysia has unofficially conducted survey that over hundred of Thai workers are employed in those industries, in particular ICT and graduated bachelor degrees in Malaysia. These people are demanded by those industries as they have advantages of languages (English and Bahasa Malaysia) over others. According to the conversation with Thai workers, some Thai workers have worked with the companies for 3 years and have been promoted to be top executives with higher salaries (approximately 3,500 Malaysian Ringgit or 35,000 Baht)
Therefore, office of Labour Affairs, Malaysia considers that salary increase will attract more Thai workers to work with those industries and consequently will be incentives for Thai students to study in Malaysia. It is expected that after graduation they will have chances to work for secured firms with good salaries.
