10-9-2023 (KUALA LUMPUR) In a disturbing case of worker mistreatment, a Malaysian woman endured two years of labor at a restaurant where she received a mere RM35 (S$10.21) per day as wages. To add insult to injury, the employer imposed strict restrictions on the staff’s meals, allowing them to consume only one type of food and charging extra for any other dish. According to local media outlet “mStar,” the woman shared her ordeal anonymously on social media, shedding light on her deplorable working conditions.
The woman revealed that she worked from 12 pm to 12 am, performing an array of tasks such as dishwashing, food and drink delivery, table wiping, and floor mopping. The workload was overwhelming, leaving no room for the slightest trace of negligence. Despite her grueling efforts, she was compensated a paltry RM35 per day, a sum that encompassed her extensive responsibilities.
Moreover, the employer imposed a harsh policy that restricted employees to consuming the same chicken and side dishes if they opted for two meals in a day. Any desire for variety came at an additional cost, making it financially burdensome for the already underpaid staff.
After six months of enduring these intolerable conditions, the woman was transferred from a server position to the role of preparing specialty beverages. However, the increase in salary was a meager RM5, bringing her total pay to RM40 (S$11.47) per day. The excessive workload associated with the new role only exacerbated her misery.
“Every night, after returning home from work, I would hide in my room and cry. Just imagine, during school holidays, the restaurant was packed, and I was so busy that I didn’t even have time to sit down.”
Unable to bear the circumstances any longer, the woman made the difficult decision to resign. However, her employer refused to let her go and even withheld her owed wages.
“To make matters worse, my boss was dissatisfied and held back RM100 (S$29.18) of my salary, refusing to pay me. Working under him was like being treated as trash.”
