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Salary increment letter template (Malaysia)

A short letter to ask for a pay rise in your current job, with your results, the market figure and the amount you are asking for. Fill it in, then copy or download.

Quick answer: ask before your company's pay review, usually one to two months before. Name one figure, back it with two or three results from the past year and an official pay figure for your job, and ask for a meeting. Malaysia's median salary rose 5.3% in 2025 (DOSM).

MalaysiaCite official pay data

Your request

Find the market figure first: the salary comparison shows your pay against DOSM and the government scale.

Your letter


          

        

      


      
Letter you can copy

      
Say what you are asking for in the first paragraph, show what you delivered, give one market figure, then ask for a meeting.

      
Subject: Request for salary review – [Your name]

Dear [Manager's name],

I would like to ask for a salary increment from [RMX] to [RMY] a month, an increase of [Z%].

In my [three years] as [job title], I have:
– [result 1]
– [result 2]

[The market figure and its source] suggests this is in line with the role.

Could we meet in the next two weeks to discuss it? Thank you for considering my request.

Regards,
[Your name]


      
How much to ask for

      
    
        
  • Start from the market: DOSM pay figures and, for the public sector, the government pay scale. Quote the figure, the job and the date.
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  • Know the general rise: the median salary in Malaysia rose 5.3% in 2025, or 3.9% after inflation. See wage growth in Malaysia and salary by industry.
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  • Ask for one figure, not a range. A range invites the lower end.
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  • Check the take-home amount: the take-home pay calculator shows what a rise leaves after EPF, SOCSO, EIS and PCB.
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Before you send it

      
    
        
  • Timing: ask before budgets are set, not after the review letters go out.
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  • Results, not needs. Work you delivered and new responsibilities count. Rent and loans do not.
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  • A new job title? If your duties have grown, ask for the title and pay together.
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  • A fallback: if pay cannot move now, ask for a date to review it again, a one-off bonus, training or extra leave.
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  • An outside offer: mention it only if you would take it. For a new job, use the salary negotiation email.
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Common questions

      

        
Is my employer required to give a yearly increment?
No law in Malaysia requires a yearly increment in the private sector. It depends on your contract, any collective agreement and company policy.

        
Letter or email?
Either. An email to your manager is usual, followed by a meeting. Some companies ask for a formal letter to HR.

        
How often can I ask?
Once a year, around the review, unless your job has changed a lot.

        
What if the answer is no?
Ask what you would need to show by the next review, and agree a date to discuss it again.