Yala.. really need to check on this issue..
are we malaysian not hard working enough..

dont know laa..

You're right man, I mean, I try to stay positive about it and contribute as much as possible to the growth of the company and especially support the expats since they are our bosses.

Actually I'm not yet at management level either. Where I work I'm an Assistant Manager in the commercial department; more like Business Development actually.

But I've noticed this wage gap and not only that but also position gap where the expats move up the corporate ladder rather quickly. Granted, some of them have the experience and motivation. However they way it is done, is as though the locals are not given the opportunity to hold that position.

Once again, I guess we are back to square one where if it is a foreign owned company to begin with, they would rather have expats holding the management positions.

Dude, I just went through something similar.

We had our appraisals recently and when I asked for a salary adjustment, my General Manager told me that to be eligible for a salary adjustment I need a promotion in position. Currently my designation is as an Assistant Manager and to be a Manager, he said I need a team to manage, but in my Commercial/Biz Development department it is just me handling one of our services and my other colleague who handles another. So he said there's no one for me to really manage. Then he told me that he doesn't foresee the department adding people to it anytime soon.

I politely countered back that my workload and work scope has increased and I need someone to delegate other work to so that I can stay focused on my commercial/biz development role. Then he said it's the nature of the current economy, everyone's workload/scope has increased and that doesn't justify a salary adjustment. Just FYI, our annual increment doesn't match the annual inflation rate of 5%. At best, our annual increment is between 2%-4%. I am thankful for what I have because I know others are in more difficult situations but my family is also growing and as I mentioned, work load/scope has increased substantially...I don't know how else to justify.

Dude, I agree, we can and do learn a lot from expats, to me it has a lot to do with the experience they bring, the work ethic (especially Germans), and their motivation. Working with expats has actually allowed me to grow as a person, try different methods that maybe Asians are not accustomed to.

But wow, what you mentioned about 'stirring up tiny issues' I seem to have experience quite a bit of that as well. I was told by someone about it way back, that expats like to play the 'blame game'. I didn't believe it at first, then I experienced it first hand. One mistake from me was highlighted in an e-mail copied to our HQ in Singapore with all Directors in copy. A few other incidents also where they expected me to invite them along for meetings when initially they were not involved. I'm OK if they mention to me politely and as a reminder for next time, but to do it in front of my colleagues and GM? And make it look like it was me who was coming up short? Needless to say that individual was promoted substantially within the first year of him joining.

And here I thought we were a team. Rather than help solve the issue he just red flagged it to everyone.

But what to do right, I just had to suck it up.

This post has been edited by McF7y: Jun 9 2017, 08:32 AM

Lol. Kinda similar experience we faced. Another common thing is expat are always backing up each other, for instance, our current project is about to end in few months time, and before the next project starts kick in, it will have a window of about 2 years for preliminary works. Despite the known fact that the 2 expats are unable to contribute and perform during this stage, the HoD decided to keep both of them, and posting them for some defects rectification work. That's literally like paying a director wages to carry out housekeeping work in the office.
With that kind of arrangement, the HR seems to be ok with it, but still, increment and promotion for local. Yes, but follow the standard increment rate please, no express way.

This post has been edited by xyunknown: Jun 9 2017, 08:55 AM

Yea they definitely do back each other up.

It seems like we just have to accept this especially when HR is OK with it.

Hello mate, good morning.
Completely concur with your points, the foreign MNC companies that I have joined as of the same scenario, you will see that the C-Suites and Director-level are all expats.
Nevertheless, we may choose to proactively contribute and be a good performer (like what you mentioned) to work our way up.

Let strive to climb the ladder together mate.
Wish us a great journey and see you at the top.

Likewise mate!

All the best!

im a Malaysian expat and yes all those things apply.

1)
hardship scale - depends on which country ur working in so it is needed. of course u will not see it when an expat is working in the city but imagine being in shitholes like Sierra Leone or El Salvador

inconvinience - cause away from family and home country

exchange rate - every quarter there are adjustments. sometimes up sometimes down

2)
Expats are on different contracts to locals. They will always earn more as they are earning in Euros and ur earning RM. the 3-4 times difference is easily the exchange rate cause we are paid the equivalent of what we will earn in our home country (ie European countries)

My exhange rate was done yearly, and sometimes I only get half the salary in the beginning of the year. As for hardship, it is also moving your family to a new country. Example if you move to Germany or Switzerland, where English is not commonly use.... and not you cannot bring your maid. Sound like a nice country, but your wife/husband will also need to get use to life there. I have a friend who was delegated to Germany but came back 6months as the wife is not able to get use to the life there.

Same here >.< no increment also

Job Title : Management trainee
Job Desciption : Courier/Logistic
Years spent in company : 4 months
Company :
Industry : Courier/Logistic
Employment Level : Mgt Trainee doing sales
Experience before joining : 0
Highest paper qualification/ education background : Bachelor in business admin majoring in Mangement
Monthly Salary : RM2300
Annual bonus: dont know as I'm still new
Location: Klang
Age: 24.5
Hours of work: 9 hours
Do you think I'm underpaid? The work damn stresss plus my salary only rm2300 zzz

I am 25 and my previous 1st job (around 1 year) started with 2.8k basic plus 300 allowance plus transportation .....and then jump to another company with 3.4k basic... I jumped company coz previous job too ez but now a bit regret coz a bit stress =(... 2.3 k is a bit low but get exp 1st ba....

Please advise usually will take average how long for experience

its depend bro....I am not from sales background so can't advise much but pls seek for your passion in the meantime and may it guide you succeed in future...

thanks bro

MNC Logistics Company or Local SME?
Is the name of the company starts with C?

This post has been edited by Win Win Inspiration: Jun 13 2017, 09:27 AM

Local . Company kept it private

Learn as much as you can, especially on the Operations side, logistics knowledge is highly transferable and universal, once you are equipped with experience and skills, you may carve your career path nicely.
Good luck mate.

Thanks. I have the same mindset too as all businesses involved logistics. I will try to learn in 1 year time

Been years since I posted an update and below is the collated summary of my career including the latest switch

2009 - 2011
Job Title : Management. Rep/QA Engineer
Job Desciption : Quality, engineering and management
Years spent in company : close to 3 years
Industry : O n G but more to manufacturing
Tenure : permanent
Employment Level : entry
Experience before joining : -
Salary : RM 3200
Benefits : company car hence free petrol, given condo with electrical, water bil and maintenance fully paid by company. May claim other expenses as long related to work, this year 1 month bonus
Location: JB/SG, local MNC
Education Level: B.Eng(Mechanical)


2013- 2016
Job Title : Plant Manager
Job Desciption : Manage the whole plant and all departments
Years spent in company : 4+
Edu Qualification: BE Hons Mechanical
Company : SME MNC
Industry : Local O & G
Tenure : permanent
Employment Level : permanent
Experience before joining : nil, started fresh here
salary : RM 9.5K, company car provided and housing with utilities paid for.

2017 ( New Career )
Job Title : Senior Manager
Job Desciption : Operations
Years spent in company : 0
Edu Qualification: BE Hons Mechanical and MBA
Company : MNC
Industry : Service , not even remotely related to O & G
Tenure : permanent
Employment Level : permanent
Experience before joining : 7.5 years
salary : RM 14k
Benefits: Medical coverage , T & GO , petrol card and standard claims

Feel free to feedback, no more housing and company car benefits with this new job