Gender Pay Gap in Malaysia: Are Men and Women Paid Fairly?

The gender pay gap in Malaysia continues to receive attention as men earn more than women in the formal sector.

According to the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM), male formal-sector employees had a median monthly wage of RM3,064 in March 2026, compared with RM3,000 for women.

The issue was highlighted on 18 September 2026, in conjunction with International Equal Pay Day.

For employers and HR teams, however, the discussion is about more than simply hiring more women.

Researchers said closing the gender pay gap also requires attention to pay progression, career progression, flexible work, caregiving and pay transparency.

What Is the Gender Pay Gap?

The gender pay gap refers to the difference in earnings between men and women.

For example, if the median or average pay of male employees is higher than female employees, there is a gender pay gap.

However, a gender pay gap does not automatically mean men and women are being paid differently for the same job.

Differences can also be linked to factors such as the types of jobs employees have, their career level and their participation in the workforce.

This is why employers need to look beyond one overall number.

What Is Equal Pay?

Equal pay is about achieving equal pay for work of equal value.

For employers, this means looking at whether employees in comparable roles have fair opportunities in terms of pay and career progression.

The wider discussion around equal pay therefore goes beyond simply comparing men's and women's salaries.

It also includes whether employees have similar opportunities to progress and increase their earnings.

Gender Pay Gap in Malaysia in 2026

According to DOSM's Employee Wages Statistics (Formal Sector), First Quarter 2026, male formal employees received a median monthly wage of RM3,064 in March 2026, while female formal employees received RM3,000.

The RM64 difference should not be read as meaning women are paid RM64 less than men for the same job.

It is a comparison of median wages between male and female formal employees.

Want to see the full infographic and monthly data? Check The Star's interactive graphic.

Why Hiring More Women Is Not Enough

According to The Star's report on 18 September 2026, researchers warned that getting more women into jobs alone will not solve the gender pay gap.

Researchers from the Khazanah Research Institute (KRI) said policies also need to look at:

The quality of jobs available to women
Pay progression
Flexible work
Career progression
Caregiving responsibilities
Pay transparency

For employers, this means the focus should not stop after recruitment.

It is also important to look at what happens after employees join the company.

How Age and Career Stage Can Affect the Gender Pay Gap

The report also highlighted differences in the gender pay gap by age.

KRI research associate Adam Manaf Mohamed Firouz said that in 2024, there was no gender pay gap among workers aged 25 to 29.

The gap then widened to 5.2% among workers aged 30 to 34 and 10.8% among workers aged 35 to 39, when care responsibilities may become more significant.

The gap narrowed among workers aged 40 to 49 before widening again among older workers, reaching 12.8% among those aged 55 to 59 and 31.7% among those aged 60 to 64.

The researchers said the pattern pointed to possible care-related lifecycle effects, while also reflecting differences between generations.

How Caregiving Can Affect Women's Work

One of the issues highlighted in the report is caregiving.

Adam said women continue to carry a disproportionate share of care work.

Among women outside the labour force, 67.9% cited family responsibilities as the main reason in the latest data, compared with 67.1% in 2010.

The report suggests that existing policies have not sufficiently changed the trade-offs women face between paid work and caregiving.

For employers, this means workplace policies around flexibility and career progression can be an important part of the discussion.

What Can Employers Do to Address the Gender Pay Gap?

The researchers quoted by The Star pointed to several areas that can help address the wider gender pay gap.

Support Flexible Work

Flexible work arrangements can help employees manage work and caregiving responsibilities.

However, the report also highlighted the importance of ensuring that flexible work arrangements do not hinder career progression.

For HR, this means considering whether employees using flexible arrangements continue to have opportunities for:

Career progression
Promotions
Pay progression

Improve Pay Transparency

The researchers also called for greater pay transparency.

For employers, this can mean being clearer about how pay progresses within comparable roles and how employees move forward in their careers.

Monitor Pay and Promotions

The report highlighted the need to monitor gender differences in promotions and pay within comparable roles.

HR teams can therefore look at whether men and women in comparable roles have similar opportunities for:

Salary progression
Promotions
Career advancement

Consider Childcare and Eldercare

Researchers also called for better access to affordable childcare and eldercare.

For employers, understanding employees' caregiving needs can help when designing workplace policies and flexible working arrangements.

Encourage More Equal Sharing of Care Responsibilities

The report also highlighted measures such as paternity leave to promote a more equal sharing of care responsibilities.

The discussion is not only about supporting women. It also involves encouraging men to take a more active role in caregiving.

What Does the Gender Pay Gap Mean for HR?

For HR teams, the latest discussion shows that the gender pay gap is not simply a recruitment issue.

Hiring more women is important, but employers also need to look at what happens throughout an employee's career.

HR can ask:

Are employees in comparable roles progressing fairly in pay?

Are men and women receiving similar opportunities for promotion?

Can employees use flexible work arrangements without affecting their career progression?

Are pay practices transparent?

Do workplace policies take caregiving responsibilities into account?

These questions can help employers look at the issue from a wider perspective.

Equal Pay Goes Beyond Hiring

Malaysia's latest wage data shows that male formal-sector employees continue to have a higher median monthly wage than female formal-sector employees, with RM3,064 compared with RM3,000 in March 2026.

But the latest discussion reported by The Star shows that closing the gender pay gap involves more than increasing the number of women entering employment.

For employers and HR, the focus also needs to include pay progression, career progression, flexible work, caregiving and pay transparency.

Equal pay is therefore not only about who gets hired.

It is also about whether employees have fair opportunities to grow, progress and earn more throughout their careers.

FAQs

What is the gender pay gap?

It is the difference in earnings between men and women.

What is equal pay?

Equal pay means achieving equal pay for work of equal value.

What is the gender pay gap in Malaysia in 2026?

DOSM reported median wages of RM3,064 for men and RM3,000 for women in March 2026.

Is hiring more women enough to close the gender pay gap?

No. Researchers said pay progression, career progression, flexibility and caregiving also matter.

What can HR do?

HR can monitor pay and promotions, improve pay transparency and support flexible work without affecting career progression.

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