Charles Santiago
Johor’s Menteri Besar Onn Hafiz Ghazi has introduced a “premium wage” initiative that targets starting salaries of RM4,000 for fresh graduates.
The objective is clear: retain local talent, reduce the pull of higher-paying jobs across the border, and create quality opportunities closer to home.
Other states should take note.
From January to April, the Johor Talent Development Council facilitated 7,773 job placements.
Meanwhile, in March alone, Kuala Lumpur accounted for 25.6% of loss of employment cases nationwide and Selangor for 29.3%.
Johor’s premium wage initiative comes at the right time. In early 2025, over 900 students in Johor reportedly skipped their SPM (Year 11) exams, with some opting for jobs in Singapore, where the pay was more attractive.
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At a time when many young people in Malaysia are leaving for better opportunities elsewhere, we welcome efforts that focus on better wages and stronger career pathways at home.
The premium wage initiative should not remain a Johor policy. It should become a model for other states seeking to retain talent and build a more competitive workforce.
Some will view this as an election-year policy. That’s fair.
But if it helps retain talent, raise wages and create better opportunities for young people in Malaysia, that is a positive development regardless of politics.
Now let’s see which parties have a bolder plan – or can explain why young people in Malaysian deserve less.
Charles Santiago is the former MP for Klang.
The views expressed in Aliran's media statements and the NGO statements we have endorsed reflect Aliran's official stand. Views and opinions expressed in other pieces published here do not necessarily reflect Aliran's official position.
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