[Watch] Living On RM16,000 A Month ‘Too Hard’ Says Subang MP

0 Sara Smith May 18, 2025

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PKR’s Wong Chen has struck a controversial chord in a move that is raising eyebrows.

The Subang MP suggested that parliamentarians’ current compensation package, anchored by a RM16,000 monthly base salary, needs a boost.

Wong Chen argues that the salary is barely sufficient for basic needs.

The political expenses we have, you think we are only looking after our children and spouses? You’ve also got all these people in your office.

He further defended his position by explaining that the political work is unusual.

Until you become a politician, you won’t understand what the cost entails… a lot of allowances is not (a) salary.

Wong Chen’s comments about insufficient MP salaries came during the book launch of “Misgovernance: Grand Corruption in Malaysia” by political economist Edmund Terence Gomez.

MP’s Full Benefits Package

The timing couldn’t be more ironic in a country where the minimum wage debate still rages on.

MPs may earn additional allowances, making the total average monthly remuneration approximately RM25,700.

According to the Members of Parliament (Remuneration) Act 1980, MPs receive a comprehensive benefits package that includes:

Monthly base salary: RM16,000
Entertainment allowance: RM2,500/month
Fixed travel allowance: RM1,500/month
Vehicle fuel allowance: RM1,500/month
Toll payment allowance: RM300/month
Driver allowance: RM1,500/month
Phone allowance: RM900/month
Parliament session attendance: RM400/day
Government agency meetings: RM300/day

Additional benefits include:

Mobile phone purchase: Up to RM2,000 every 2 years
Computer purchase: Up to RM6,000
Black tie attire allowance: RM1,000 every 3 years
Official ceremonial attire: Up to RM1,500
Hotel allowance: Up to RM400/night for assignments over 32km from home
Daily allowances: RM100/night (domestic) and RM170/night (international)
Overseas meal allowance: RM340/night
Free first-class single room in government hospitals
Apply for an Approved Permit (AP)
Business class flights and two free first-class train passes for official travel

Gaji dan elaun Ahli Parlimen terlalu rendah. Madani perlu naikkan – kata PKR. pic.twitter.com/5bH3XjAQN4
— Naratif Rakyat (@NaratifRakyat) May 14, 2025

MPs’ Pay Hike Push Spotlights Malaysia’s Economic Divide

But here’s where it gets interesting: while MPs enjoy this extensive list of benefits, the proposal has led to a fierce backlash on social media.

One commenter pointedly noted that some Malaysians could only count ringgit by hundreds, while another questioned how monthly expenses could reach RM16,000.

The contrast becomes even sharper when considering that medical specialists in government hospitals – professionals with years of specialised training – don’t even reach this base salary level, as one social media user highlighted.

@emysamsudin Cadangan nak naikkan gaji ahli parlimen? #gaji #ahliparlimen ♬ original sound – Mas Ermieyati

Amid this compensation controversy, the proposal has inadvertently exposed the growing chasm between the political elite and everyday Malaysians, many of whom, as one commenter poignantly noted, “spend their nights worrying about where to find work the next day.”

For a nation still grappling with cost-of-living challenges, this latest push for higher political salaries might be the perfect storm in Malaysia’s ongoing debate about economic inequality and political privilege.

Yang sorang pemimpin PAS kata,

"Gaji ahli parlimen HANYALAH Rm 25,700"

Another context pula,

"Gaji Rm 3,500 tak jamin hidup selesa".

Soalan aku mudah, berapa gaji yg mencukupi utk ahli PAS?

Sedangkan cikgu PASTI pun ada yg dibayar sekitar Rm 400 – Rm 600 sebulan. Zalim. pic.twitter.com/JjsNkYqwEU
— Zac (@ZacZakirin13) March 14, 2025