The average monthly salary and wage received by employees in the country increased by 4.4 per cent from RM3,087 in 2018 to RM3,224 in 2019.

Chief Statistician, Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin said the data was obtained from the 2019 Salaries and Wages Survey Report published by the Statistics Department, today.

“The increase in salaries and wages in 2019 was in line with Malaysia’s economic performance which recorded 4.4 per cent growth at current prices in 2019,” he said in a statement, here, today.

The report provides the main statistics for salaries and wages, namely the monthly median and mean based on demography and the socio-economy.

Mohd Uzir said salary and wage recipients in Malaysia totalled 9.2 million in 2019, up by five per cent 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 per cent.

“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 per cent and 6.8 per cent respectively compared to 2018.

"The mean monthly salary and wage for male employees increased by 4.1 per cent to RM3,304 and for female employees by five per cent to RM3,108 respectively compared to the previous year.

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

The report also shows the median and mean monthly salaries and income for employees in the urban areas up by 6.2 per cent to RM2,565 compared to those in the rural areas, which rose to RM1,560 at a rate of 5.3 per cent.

Meanwhile, the mean monthly salary and wage showed a reversing trend whereby the percentage change in the rural areas was higher at six per cent, compared to employees in the urban areas with four per cent in 2019.

Mohd Uzie said it was expected that the COVID-19 pandemic would affect this year’s salaries and wages received by employees, especially in the wholesale and retail trade, repair of motor vehicles, and transportation and storage sectors.

“Besides that, the accommodation industry, food and beverage services, and the arts, entertainment and recreational sectors are also expected to be affected by the enforcement of the Movement Control Order,” he added.

-- BERNAMA