Malaysia’s Wage Problems: We Work Almost An Hour For Milk But The Dutch Can Do It In 4 Minutes
The purchasing power of Malaysian workers is significantly weaker, making nutritious food far less accessible.
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Imagine stepping into a grocery store, picking up a litre of milk, and knowing it will cost you almost an hour of work.
In Malaysia, that’s the reality for minimum-wage workers.
Despite Malaysia having lower food prices than many developed nations, low wages mean basic necessities are still out of reach for millions of workers.
According to a study by Universiti Malaya’s Social Wellbeing Research Centre, the affordability crisis isn’t about expensive groceries—it’s about a pay gap so severe that Malaysians must work up to ten times longer than their counterparts in wealthier nations just to afford the same food.
The report titled “Food Affordability in Malaysia: When Markets and Money Decide What to Eat” by Amjad Rabi and Norma Mansor notes how Malaysia’s minimum wage system has lacked an automatic adjustment mechanism, leading to
stagnant real wages that often fail to keep pace with inflation and economic growth.
So, why do Malaysians have to work so much harder just to eat? And what does this mean for the country’s future?
Compared to countries like Australia and the Netherlands, Malaysian workers must work significantly longer just to afford basic food items like milk, bread, and chicken.
How Much Longer Must Malaysians Work?
International comparisons reveal just how stark this affordability gap is.
Milk
- Netherlands: 4 minutes of work to afford 1 litre
- Australia: 7 minutes of work
- Malaysia: 58 minutes of work
Chicken (1kg)
- Netherlands: 18 minutes of work
- Australia: 21 minutes of work
- Malaysia: 144 minutes (2 hours and 24 minutes) of work
Rice (1kg)
- Netherlands: 10 minutes of work
- Australia: 12 minutes of work
- Malaysia: 79 minutes of work
Even though Malaysia’s food prices are lower in absolute terms, the purchasing power of Malaysian workers is significantly weaker, making nutritious food far less accessible.
Why Is This Happening?
Low Minimum Wages: Malaysia’s minimum wage remains below international benchmarks. Many workers earn less than two-thirds of the median wage, putting them at a constant disadvantage.
Rising Cost of Living: Urbanisation and inflation have increased living expenses, but wages haven’t kept pace.
Reliance on Cheap, Unhealthy Foods: Because nutritious food is unaffordable for many low-income workers, they turn to processed, calorie-dense meals, leading to rising obesity and malnutrition.
Policy Solutions to Bridge the Gap
To ensure Malaysian workers can afford a decent diet, policymakers must:
- Implement automatic minimum wage adjustments linked to inflation and economic growth, ensuring wages keep up with costs.
- Expand food assistance programs for low-income families, including subsidized meal programs.
- Strengthen labour policies to ensure fair wages across industries.
A Malaysian worker shouldn’t have to work nearly an hour to buy a litre of milk when someone in the Netherlands can do it in four minutes.
The affordability crisis is not just about food prices—it’s about wages that fail to keep up with basic needs.
Until Malaysia tackles this issue, millions of workers will continue struggling to access the nutrition they deserve.
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