Is this question only happens in malaysia or asian countries?
It seems like local employers don't feel confident to get the right candidate for the job and they don't seem to trust malaysian . So whatever figures you wrote in that blank space , they still have some doubts.

This question shouldn't be even brought up unless they have a fixed pay and bravely advertised in the classified, this will save them the time to hire the right person for the right position.

This post has been edited by missysleepy: Dec 14 2014, 05:25 PM

I have been in the workforce for so many years and usually i will quit the job if the company can't place a trust on little stuff.

It's just like parenting. there are things that can't be proven with words or certificates. There are many areas of a personality of the person to be explore. why judge a person through salary.

Steve Jobs hires diamond crafters to work for him for skills that IT employees doesnt' know anything about. Most HR just stick to the old tradition of doing things possibly afraid to challenge the bosses. There's a beauracratic process in the company one might like and one don't. So it's also the time to test out if the interviewer is adamant to the previous salary . if they found it's so important to the company SOP, you might want to find new company. You shall know your future bonuses and salary increase might be at stake.