While this is a win for many, it is no doubt that there are still some of us who are underpaid and still too afraid or do not dare to ask our employers for a pay raise. With the cost of living rising and the toll the pandemic has taken on our economy, there's no way we can continue to survive with a low salary. But, why do Malaysians think it is better to suffer in silence rather than to ask their boss for a raise?

We decided to ask our audience to share their honest opinions as to why they find it hard to ask for a raise, here's what they had to say: 

"Most bosses are grumpy, so I am scared to ask for a raise even if I deserve it because I am worried that I will get scolded or embarrassed by my boss in front of the other employees."

"It is not common for Malaysians to ask for a raise so if I decide to do so if I do it, my boss might have a bad opinion about me."

"Most of the time when I ask for a raise my boss will say that my work did not meet the KPIs, so it will make me feel like I am asking for something I don't deserve or like I am not working hard enough to get a raise."

"I don't dare to ask for a raise because I feel like I don't have enough experience to do so. Maybe if I gain enough experience and know my value then I will be brave enough to ask."

"Because it's Malaysia!" 

"Normally after the probation period, bigger companies will provide employees with a RM200 - RM300 raise and smaller companies, RM 100 - RM200 raise, so since our salary is already revised, people are afraid to ask for another raise."

"Because I don't have any experience and I am just a fresh graduate."

"If I ask then suddenly my boss will start paying extra attention to my work and finding every minor error to use as an excuse not to give me a raise." 

"Sometimes it is because the company told you in the past about how they cannot afford to do so. You want to leave but you need job security so you just continue to work at a low salary worried that if you ask for another raise, they will let you go because they can't afford to pay you."

"My boss thinks that the salary offered is the maximum pay for my job scope, so if I ask for a raise, he will say that I am not qualified enough to get a higher salary even though my job scope is the same as my co-workers who are getting paid more than me."

"Want to ask for leave also scared, imagine asking for a raise!" 

"Due to social culture, asking for a raise is kind of a taboo. We were taught to obey instructions, but not negotiate or discuss ever since we are young making us unsure how to stand up for ourselves. To question or discuss an issue is considered a bad thing."

"If I ask then my boss will think I don't appreciate what I have and that I don't appreciate the company and my job here."

Based on the opinions above, it can be concluded that most Malaysians are scared to ask for a pay raise and would rather be underpaid than stand up for what they deserve. But since we live in a society where standing up for yourself and being brave is often misinterpreted as being rude, it is completely understandable why Malaysians feel that way. 

However, it is important that we cultivate a new culture of being brave and fighting for yourself and what you deserve. Malaysians need to understand that asking for a raise is normal and standing up for yourself is normal too. 

So, if you manage to build up the courage to ask your boss for a raise, you can refer to our article "Ways To Ask Your Boss For A Raise In Salary, According to Expert Opinion" where an expert who has been working in the Human Resources department for 5 years shares the best way to ask for a raise.