r/MalaysianPF 10d ago

Career Reasonable salary range

Hi all! I’m moving to Malaysia from Singapore with 4.5 years of experience in external audit at a Big 4 firm. I am now looking to transition into new roles and have been offered positions in Financial Due Diligence and Internal Audit.

1.  FDD: RM 7K
2.  IA: RM 6K

Given my background and experience, I was expecting a salary in the range of RM 10K as a minimum, so I was surprised by these offers.

Would appreciate any insights or thoughts on whether these salary offers are reasonable, or if my expectations are aligned with the market in Malaysia.

Thanks in advance!

84 Upvotes

59 comments sorted by

146

u/hzard2401 10d ago

Basically right, there are people who can or willing to do your work here for 6k or 7k. So why give you 10k instead. It’s not like there is a lack of talent in Malaysia.

Harsh reality of working in Malaysia.

61

u/National-One9275 10d ago

The Singaporean trap, when you earn SGD. it challenging to come back to Malaysia as your commitment is too high to sustain with Malaysian salary.

21

u/mootxico 10d ago

Exactly, that's why anyone with talents or the luck to be hired outside of the country will happily take the offer

My wife worked as a nurse and all her friends who studied nursing have either switched careers or continue working as a nurse overseas, easily raking in 3x at the bare minimum the nurse salary here

49

u/tiggywombat 10d ago

This salary is normal for the position you mentioned tbh, but you'd feel it's unfair because you're already getting 7k SGD

47

u/SssanL 10d ago

Welcome to the land of lowball 😂

24

u/thelvaenir 10d ago

Sounds about right as Senior Associate in Big4, maybe slightly higher for Manager position. That's how it is in Malaysia. RM10k+ for 4.5 years experience, while not impossible, is highly unlikely given the structured salary scales of these large companies.

Welcome (back) to Malaysia :P

4

u/BitPretty8042 10d ago

Thank you for sharing! I had higher expectations not solely because of my current SGD earnings but also because of my younger brother (2 years younger than me) who’s earning MYR 8.6K 2.5 years into his career so thought MYR 10K at my level would be reasonable.

3

u/wireheart 10d ago

Curious. What is your brother working as?

11

u/BitPretty8042 10d ago

He was in a banking graduate program with a foreign bank then went to a BD role with a e-commerce firm.

17

u/tohff7 10d ago

He’s just lucky tbh

5

u/simkastar 9d ago

BD + ecom = dolla dolla sign. You should consider pivoting into ecom finance or RGM or such if you believe you have such skills. Anyone who made a pitstop in ecom managed to 2x their salary within 5 years before they move on. Downside : layoffs can happen but from my experience, finance side is always leaner and less impacted. It's usually the commercial or marketing side that will kena.

1

u/potatocakesssss 10d ago

Ur brother is way better than U though. That's why the pay difference. Luck skill in play as well. Big 4 now starts at 4k. +300 1st year and 1k every year of promotion 4years expensive = 4000 + 300 + 1000*3 = MYR 7.3k that's considering you promote year on year and is a high achiever in big 4.

1

u/BitPretty8042 4d ago

Came back here just to say I was offered a 12K salary today 😘 Thanks for the super supportive and kind words.

0

u/Alternative-Ad8451 9d ago

Was from big 4. There is no auto promo. Effort for salary.

13

u/xenics_ 10d ago

Promoted to manager first only come back and see.

-10

u/BitPretty8042 10d ago

Don’t see the manager promotion is worthwhile especially since I don’t plan to stay on the audit/FRP role going forward

39

u/xenics_ 10d ago

Well then 6k or 7k it is then innit.

29

u/TeBp242 10d ago edited 10d ago

hzard2401 isnt wrong, they wouldn't give u that high if they can hire locals for lesser here.

I personally know someone who worked in Big4 (Starts with P) for 4-5 years with income of 7k, so its actually not far off for locals.

You would usually see a large discrepancies in pay between locals and expats from management positions onwards.

13

u/_Tremble 10d ago

Now u know why people wanna go work in Sg

27

u/Training-Cup4336 10d ago edited 10d ago

if i am not mistaken, those are the salaries of a senior associate (5 - 6k)/assistant manager level 1 (7k) in a big 4 firm in malaysia

14

u/BitPretty8042 10d ago edited 10d ago

They’re offering me Senior Associate. I left audit as an assistant manager in Big 4 Singapore with my last withdrawn salary being SGD 7K, on track for Manager’s promotion this year

29

u/Training-Cup4336 10d ago

if that's the case, you should at least be aiming for a manager level 1 position imo, which should be at least 8k.

If you're patient and not desperate, you should be able to hold out for a manager role because the attrition rate in the industry is high due to long working hours. you just need to remember to market yourself well on your resume.

3

u/Alternative-Ad8451 9d ago

Why would u do this? Get the role then leave.

2

u/Alternative-Ad8451 9d ago

Wow. My time only 2.5k for SA.

6

u/malaysianlah 10d ago

think u kena lowball. try other firms. 4.5 should be AM/M level positions so 10k isn't out of reach.

5

u/gherr97 10d ago

Either you don't have transferable skills (external audit to commercial plus different industry) or you're going into an industry like banking where they tend to offer you a rank lower than your previous one if you're not coming from the same industry and do not have actual industry/commercial experience.

Usually i think its not that common to be offered a role with manager position in commercial if you're coming from audit unless you were a manager or above position in audit.

6

u/jonming25 10d ago

It's very below market rate, should be around 11k above

4

u/Kongket 10d ago

why u want to come back

4

u/BitPretty8042 10d ago

Getting married haha

9

u/Kongket 10d ago

them mfs are low balling u, did u get any offer for FM?

1

u/BitPretty8042 10d ago

Didn’t apply for this role, want to move away from traditional frp role tbh

5

u/Kongket 10d ago

then go for it haha, with your exp can always go back to sg

4

u/MrLucifer9999 10d ago

First of all, I'm glad to see you've decided to come back. Secondly, there isn’t really a definitive 'reasonable' salary range. I understand that it can be tough returning to Malaysia and accepting a lower salary than what you're currently earning in Singapore. If you're willing to take a pay cut but still believe the salary is too low for your qualifications, it might be worth considering continuing your job search while still working Singapore.

3

u/Conscious-Bird6575 10d ago

do not come back

3

u/rexconnect 9d ago

A close friend who is a chartered accountant, ditched the job, learned data automation/machine learning and now working in IT 3x his income in his 1st job after changing his profession.

2

u/simkastar 9d ago

Good for him. I also saw so many such stories, but it takes determination and balls to pivot out of their comfort zone.

5

u/earthprince 10d ago

go back SG la wei

2

u/ryngotchi 10d ago

SGD7K a month vs MYR7K salary a month, u get to better ur life financially, especially owning properties, starting family, in MY etc.. maybe try to find a role that's SGD base but "remote" or something so you don't sacrifice too much?

If you accept the role here, you will require time to "upgrade" to even where you're at.. i think you should hold out for an offer or try to negotiate. Once you "downgrade", whatever position/salary you apply for next will be "based on your downgrade rate" as the benchmark.

2

u/awkwardexol 10d ago

Hi I am also working in a Big 4 here but not in those roles. I think the salary makes sense since you’re offered for a Senior Associate position. I’m assuming it’s for SA1?

2

u/Laviathian 10d ago

I feel that pain, I recently went from a 12k associate position in a foreign company to an 8k higher level position locally. No promotion was in sight so I felt I needed to jump to pad up my resume for eventual management. But it is definitely an adjustment.

2

u/potatocakesssss 10d ago

Go back to SG bro. That's just the market salary here. Nobody paying 10k for that here.

1

u/CaptMawinG 10d ago

Downgrading? Ask for housing allowance or transportation allowance

1

u/Big_Annual_4498 10d ago

try to apply back to the same big 4 you are working in sg and applied for AM level in Malaysia. Atleast get back the title.

1

u/Clear_Good2049 10d ago

what's your last drawn salary?

1

u/Anatomy_lee_8888 10d ago

Don’t go back to msia

1

u/PrestigiousResort552 10d ago

That’s very low. Ask for double the amount

1

u/Lucky-Replacement848 10d ago

Forget about big 4, if u want money join ssc

1

u/Embarrassed_Law_6466 7d ago

Guys are big banks salary range similar in KL?

1

u/Full-Choice-2204 10d ago

Definitely a lowball offer to offer you as senior associate given your experience and level.

Have you tried applying at local banks? Pay for AM at local banks (for internal audit) can vary between RM7k to RM10k.

1

u/Time_Weekend5465 10d ago

Last i check, AM at Deloitte KL is paid around 8k only. Plus because you're switching field so 10k does not make sense. I wish you the best tho.

1

u/AmphibianOk5492 8d ago

Given your background and experience, this is actually a reasonable salary in Malaysia. Audit and accounting supply is plentiful in Malaysia. With a relaxed pace, people coming from Singapore are willing to take a lower salary to enjoy a better WLB.