I have come across a significant number of inquiries pertaining to employment background check by future employer and surprisingly, I found out there are more idiots who offers dumb advice like "why would you lie to your future employer in the first place" or "there is nothing to fear of if you were to reveal the truth" rather than to address the question in the most satisfying manner.

I will try my best to answer all of the FAQ based on my knowledge as to address the matter above.

Q1: Will my future employer find out about my past employment without my knowledge?
Ans: The answer is no as there are Personal Data Protection Act, 2010 (PDPA) to prevent your past employment information being shared. However, it can be made possible if you have signoff the PDPA release form to your future employer. Candidates are also requested by the future employer to inform the HR dept from their past few companies with regards to the employment background check excercise. 

Q2: Who and what does the future employer usually prompted when they have come in contact with my previous employment companies?
Ans: They will usually contact the Human Resource dept of your company or the director of the company (if it is a small company without HR dept) to verify your employment history as below;
- Base salary and allowances
- Employment period
- Character and work ethics
- Resignation/termination
- Any restriction on future employment set by the previous employer
- Will your previous company reemploy you in future?

Q3: Can they check my past contribution to EPF via EPF Dept or my past employment via Human Resource Ministry (Jabatan Tenaga Kerja Malaysia)?
Ans: Fortunately no as all information from these departments are private & confidential.

Q4: Can my future employer make a request to view my EPF statement?
Ans: To view your EPF statement is no difference than to view your personal bank account statement or passbook. It is obvious your future employer has serious trust issue and I would strongly recommend for the candidate to abandon the job application.

If any of the forumers  has questions of the above matter, feel free to drop me a line via this thread.

Both of you have a fair share of view and realistically, I agree with KoChun1. Although with the PDPA act there are companies that follow closely, however, even if there's a breach the candidates will not know unless he/ she is close with the ex-company's HR and the HR division informed the candidate. Even so in this situation, as a candidate, will you report the potential employer? Although the answer is YES, you CAN make a report of this potential employer, rarely anyone do so so save trouble.

Yes my point is that, the candidate can choose NOT to sign the PDPA but this also mean the candidate should look elsewhere for a job. As highlighted, one of the member here mentioned all MNCs require a copy of payslip. If the candidate is not willing to provide, he/she should have little hope in working with MNCs. You can argue that a person has to be "so good" that others will hire them 'unconditionally' overlooking the procedure/ policy they have about the payslip. However there are not many people in this industry who are "that good", if any. Even if you are, probably they're willing to let the person go on the basis he/she is not able to comply with the company's basic policy of providing the payslip. The more resistant a person is, the more suspicious it will appear. This is speaking hypothetically though as I've not seen anyone take up such 'fight' with an MNC. All my friends working in MNCs provided their payslip.