Underpaid graduates accept fate, but hope for change

 

When Nurul (not her real name) graduated with a degree in chemical technology in late 2011, she wanted to be a civil servant - preferably in a science-related field.

Like many Malaysians, familial pressure played a role in her career choice.

However, despite her qualifications, the best she has been able to secure in the past 12 years is a job as an office clerk with a government agency, earning just RM1,700 a month.

Nurul is one of many skilled graduates stuck doing low-salary jobs as there were limited vacancies in high-skilled occupations due to sluggish high-skilled job creation in the past decades.

Khazanah Research Institute revealed that around 40 percent of experienced graduates are stuck in jobs that don’t match their qualifications.

In its latest research report titled “Shifting Tides: Charting Career Progression of Malaysia’s Skilled Talents,” the report revealed that about two-thirds of graduates have been employed in high-skilled occupations throughout the past decades.

However, the growing supply of skilled talents and an increasingly competitive job market means skill-related underemployment and low pay remain prevalent.

The research also said starting one’s career on the wrong foot would have an enduring effect on a future career trajectory that could ultimately overcome the underutilisation of skilled talents in driving the nation’s development and maximise the return to higher education.

Settling for lower wages

Based on her qualifications, Nurul can work in any field related to science and the environment where she can earn a basic salary of RM2,300 excluding any other benefits.

However, after she graduated, Nurul was jobless for three months before she worked as a cashier in 2012 at a grocer near her home for RM800 per month.

A few months later, she received a job offer as a clerk under contract with the People’s Volunteer Corps (Rela), an agency under the Home Ministry.

“(At first) I was paid daily and earned up to RM1,200 a month. My working hours were similar to any civil servants, on weekdays from 8am to 5pm,” she told Malaysiakini.

“My mother wanted me to work as a civil servant. I think it was because she used to be one and she believed that it was more stable. So when I got the job with Rela, even though I was paid daily, my mother was happy with it,” she added.

Twelve years later, Nurul is still in the same position but her salary has increased and is now fixed to RM1,700. She is also entitled to Social Security Organisation, Employees Provident Fund and medical leave benefits.

The 35-year-old said that to this day, she is still applying for jobs both in the private and public sector, but despite multiple interviews, has not received any callbacks.

Series of unfortunate events

Life has also been tough for a 40-year-old who wishes to be known as Doli.

Doli graduated in 2009 with a degree in Usuluddin Hadith in Egypt and also has a teaching diploma.

Everything was going well for her at first. After graduating, she did several jobs before working as a primary school teacher with a salary of around RM3,000.

However, things then took a turn when one year after the birth of her first child, Doli suffered five miscarriages between 2015 and 2017 which took a toll on her mentally and physically.

After the last miscarriage, she tried to apply for unpaid leave to heal, but unfortunately, her headmaster didn’t approve her leave due to a personal reason and her application to transfer to another school was rejected as well.

“After discussing it with my husband, I tendered my resignation because I believed that was the best solution.

“I was sad because I love teaching but since the headmaster has an issue with me, I have no other option but to sacrifice my career,” she added.

With only her husband working to support the family, Doli tried her best to help with selling health products and others.

“But as customers come and go and our son is growing up, I decided that it was time to go for a fixed income and so I applied for the position to be a Kafa (Quran and Fardu Ain) school teacher in 2022,” she said.

Her pay is currently RM1,300 a month.

Barely making ends meet

Both Nurul and Doli’s low salaries put them in tight financial situations.

For Nurul, she is happy to stay together with her mother with whom she shares the responsibilities of paying the bills.

Although her mother is not working, she has her monthly pension and Nurul’s siblings would occasionally give the mother her monthly allowance.

“While we split the home bills together, I also pay for my expenses such as my phone bills, car loans, and petrol,” she said.

After paying her bills, Nurul would have around RM200 where she treats herself and her mother to eat outside and the occasional shopping.

For Doli, she spends her salary on paying her bank loan of RM800 per month, and her son’s school fee of RM250, leaving the balance for her own use.

Her husband, who works as a car painter, will pay for the house bills, petrol, and groceries.

“Although it is hard for us, I am thankful for what I have. I stay at my mother-in-law's home, so I don’t have to pay for rent and my siblings helped me from time to time,” she said.

Accepting fate rather than complaining

Nurul acknowledges that her pay is low and that her job is not secure due to its contractual nature at a time when the government was cutting down on spending.

“The contract will be renewed annually and it depends on the budget allocated. Last year, they renewed contracts for 11 staff but this year only seven of us made it,” she said.

“I feel that this year, civil servants have received a lot of bonuses while people like me who are under contract had to be terminated. I feel that they (the government) are digging other holes to cover another hole,” she added.

However, while she has accepted how her life has gone so far and is grateful for what she has, Nurul is still hoping for a better future.

“I am still hunting for jobs. The latest application I made was in early March. There was a vacancy for a clerk at a government-owned college. Although I am overqualified for it, I still apply.

“I don’t want to overthink because it will eat me up. Even people with bigger salaries are still complaining. I am in a phase where I want to be thankful rather than complaining,” she said.

Doli has made peace with her past, including forgiving her former boss.

“A friend told me that shortly after leaving the school, the headmaster had a heart attack and was transferred to another place. I think he has retired.

“I have forgiven him for the sake of my well-being,” she added.

While there are better job offers given to her, Doli said at her stage in life, she must consider her family and her health.

“If I compare our lifestyle to others, we are left behind. I have to save up here and there but I am glad to have a fixed income.

“I was offered a teaching job with a good salary but the location is too far from my house.

“But I am still looking for ways to earn more such as applying to be a religious teacher in nearby suraus or mosques,” she added.

Doli also hoped that the government would revise the salary of Kafa teachers as their job scope is similar to other teachers.

She said the basic salary for Kafa teachers should at least be at the minimum-wage level of RM1,500, since most of them have graduated with a degree.

As a Kafa teacher, Doli said the state Islamic council pays her RM1,100 and the state government pays the remaining RM200.

“With the rising cost of living, we even had to fork out our own money to run the school activities. We don’t have a pension so having an increased salary will certainly help us,” she added. - Mkini