When you see a job ad for ‘Head of IT & System Development’, you’d expect a salary that reflects the weight of the title, something that matches the years of experience, leadership skills, and tech expertise required.
But a recent posting from a company in Besut, Terengganu offered just RM2,000 a month for the role and netizens were not having it.
The listing, which quickly made rounds on X (formerly Twitter), caught attention not for its opportunities, but for what many saw as a glaring mismatch between the job scope and the salary offered.
Big demands, but small pay
According to the job ad, the company was looking to hire a full-time, permanent Head of IT & System Development, a role that’s typically considered mid to senior-level management.
From planning system architecture to ensuring smooth day-to-day tech operations, the responsibilities were far from light.
However, what truly shocked netizens was the RM2,000 monthly salary, an amount most agreed was severely out of sync with the role’s expectations.
Expectations vs. reality
A closer look at the ad revealed just how high the bar was set. The successful candidate would be expected to:
- Develop and manage internal systems
- Lead the planning and execution of system projects
- Propose IT solutions to improve business operations
- Troubleshoot technical issues
- Design long-term digital strategies and support the company’s transformation goals
On top of that, applicants needed to hold a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, IT, Software Engineering, or an equivalent field, with 3–4 years of experience under their belt.
Technical mastery in Laravel, PHP, HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and MySQL was a must, alongside strong leadership qualities and a strategic mindset.
Internet reaction
Naturally, the ad sparked heated discussions online. Many X users expressed disbelief at the salary offered, questioning how a company could expect such a high-level role to be filled for such low pay.
“They’re basically asking for a one-man army with CTO-level skills… for RM2,000?” one user commented.
Some even joked that the company was probably looking for someone who’d work for passion, not pay.
Others speculated that the entire IT department might consist of just one person.
The post also reignited conversations about wage disparities, particularly in East Coast states like Terengganu.
While tech professionals in urban centres may receive better compensation, those in smaller towns often find themselves underpaid despite having comparable skills and responsibilities.
Still, a few people tried to give the benefit of the doubt, wondering if the salary listing was a typo.
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