A Malaysian worker recently went viral after questioning whether it’s actually legal for an employer to hold back their salary until their final working day.
The post quickly caught attention online, with many netizens jumping in to share their opinions and experiences.
Employer allegedly withheld salary to prevent employee from “running away”
In a Threads post by user @zatizhri, the worker shared a screenshot of a conversation with their employer.
In the message, the employer explained that the salary would be held temporarily to ensure the employee completes their notice period.
We will hold your salary until your last day… your last day on 11/5 then we will release salary.”
The employee then asked online:
Can employers actually do this?”
Netizens cite labour law rules
The post sparked debate, with many Malaysians pointing out that salary payments are governed by labour laws.
Some users claimed that wages must be paid within a specific timeframe:
“Payment to employee salary must not be more than the 7th of the next month.”
Another added that if a company’s payroll runs from the 1st to 31st, salaries should typically be paid before the 7th of the following month.
Others also highlighted that company policies do not override the law:
“Not all contracts are legal. Just because you signed it, if it doesn’t follow the law, it can be void.”
Others share similar experiences
Several netizens shared that they had encountered similar situations before, where employers delayed or held their salaries after resignation.
Some suggested reporting the issue to the Labour Department (JTK), while others warned that it may be harder to take action after leaving the company.
There were also comments claiming that certain companies tend to “create their own rules” when it comes to employee pay.
Update: Salary paid after post went viral
In a follow-up update, the original poster shared that their salary was eventually credited after the post gained traction online.
So guys, my salary is in… seems like they transferred it quickly after seeing this post.”
This led some netizens to believe that public attention may have pressured the employer into taking action.
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