Well pay is a sensitive and P&C issue yet unavoidable. It's also one of the reason why some people leave their previous company.

If the interviewer insist, just tell him. For example, you stated RM4,000 as your expected salary (and then say it's negotiable). When the interviewer ask you how much is the minimum you will accept, tell them honestly. So for example you say it's RM 3.7k and he said "It's too high!"

Then you have to justify to him WHY the company should pay you RM 3.7k for the position. Of course, this is more or less answering the question of "What can you contribute?" etc

Basically it's hard to avoid telling the company your previous salary. If you refuse to tell, they can always request for your pay slip (which cannot lie). Again, you can also refuse to give/ show them your pay slip because it's P&C but by doing so, companies usually have a reason to suspect you aren't being honest with them. This also jeopardizes your chance in getting recruited by them.

Lastly, you will have a hard time answering the interviewer when he asks, "Why can't you reveal your salary for the current company?" No doubt you can shrug it off with "Sorry sir, that is Private and Confidential" but I see no harm in revealing it unless you have a good reason in doing so.

^ thats quite pariah HR policy, u have ur own salary band by rank/position.

u pay base on how much u think the candidate is worth, not how much they are being paid and cap it to 20%. hr ppl are idiots.