Average salaries, wages up by 4.4% in 2019

PUTRAJAYA: The average monthly salary and wages of employees in the country had increased by 4.4%, from

RM3,087 in 2018 to RM3,224 in

2019, the 2019 Salaries and

Wages Survey Report published by the Statistics Department revealed.

“The increase in salaries and wages in 2019 was in line with Malaysia’s economic performance, which recorded 4.4% growth at current prices in 2019,” Chief Statistician

Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin said in a statement yesterday.

Mohd Uzir said salary and wage recipients in Malaysia totalled 9.2 million in 2019, up by 5% from 8.8 million people in 2018.

The median monthly salary and wage recorded an increase from RM2,308 in 2018 to RM2,441 in 2019, an increase of 5.8%.

“In 2019, the median salary and wage received by male employees was RM2,477 and female employees, RM2,370, which saw an increase of 5.8% and 6.8% respectively compared with 2018.

“The mean monthly salary and wage for male employees increased by 4.1% to RM3,304 and for female employees by 5% to RM3,108.

“Meanwhile, the median and mean monthly salaries and wages for employees with tertiary education remained high, with 6.9% and 2% growth respectively,” said Mohd Uzir.

The report also showed that the median and mean monthly salaries and income for employees in the urban areas, which went up by 6.2% to RM2,565 compared with those in the rural areas, which also rose, but by 5.3% to RM1,560.

Interestingly, the mean monthly salary and wage showed a reverse trend where the percentage change in the rural areas was higher at 6%, compared with employees in the urban areas, at 4% in 2019. - Bernama