1. Preferences that job boards remove
Malaysia's biggest job boards publish rules on what an ad may say, and they act on them.
- JobStreet says a job ad should not discriminate against nationality, age, race, gender, religion, marital status, family responsibilities or disability. Its guidance gives the example of avoiding "Chinese/Malay/Indian preferred", avoiding words that show a preference for an age group unless a legal or regulatory requirement applies (and then stating it), and keeping religion out of requirements unless the role involves religious functions.
- AJobThing, the company behind Maukerja, says ads must not prefer a gender, age group or race, and that ads breaking its rules are removed without a refund. It may also edit preference wording out before an ad goes live.
2. Language requirements: allowed, with a reason
You can ask for a language when the work needs it. JobStreet's guidance is to keep language preferences out of the job title and, where a language is a real requirement, to state it in the description with the reason.
"Mandarin speaker preferred" in the title reads as a race preference. "Mandarin needed to support our clients in China" in the requirements explains the business need.
3. Pay and the minimum wage
The Minimum Wages Order 2024 set the minimum wage at RM1,700 a month. It applied from 1 February 2025 to employers with five or more employees and to professional activities classified under MASCO, and from 1 August 2025 to all employers. The published hourly equivalent is RM8.72. Domestic workers are excluded from the order.
An ad that offers less than the minimum for a monthly-paid role is a warning sign for candidates and for enforcement. Check daily and hourly rates against the daily and hourly equivalents, not the monthly figure.
One more pay point: EPF, SOCSO and EIS contributions are required by law, so listing them as perks adds nothing. Use the space for benefits you actually choose to give, such as medical cover, a bonus or flexible hours.
4. Where the law comes in
Since 1 January 2023, section 69F of the Employment Act 1955 lets the Director General of Labour inquire into and decide disputes about discrimination in employment between an employee and an employer, with fines for not complying with a decision. Legal commentators note that it covers existing employment relationships, so it may not reach a job ad on its own, and the Act does not list protected characteristics. Sabah and Sarawak have their own labour ordinances.
In practice, the board rules above are what most often stop a discriminatory ad. The wording also shapes who applies, and it is evidence of how you hire if a dispute ever arises later.
5. Rewrite the usual problem lines
| Instead of | Write |
|---|---|
| "Chinese girl below 30 preferred" | Remove it. If a language is needed: "Mandarin needed to serve our Mandarin-speaking clients." |
| "Male, strong" | "The work involves lifting stock up to 20 kg several times a day." |
| "Age 20–30, young and energetic" | "0–2 years of experience welcome. Fast-paced retail floor, standing for most of the shift." |
| "Malaysian only" | If a work permit is the issue: "Applicants must be able to work in Malaysia." State any real legal requirement for the role. |
| "Single, able to travel" | "Travel to client sites in the northern region about two days a week." |
| "Benefits: EPF, SOCSO" | "Annual bonus, medical cover, 14 days' annual leave." (List what you add beyond the law.) |
6. Checklist before you post
- No preference for race, gender, age, religion, nationality, marital status or disability. Only state an age limit set by law, or religion for a role with religious functions.
- Language requirements in the description, with the reason; none in the title.
- Pay at or above RM1,700 a month, or the daily or hourly equivalent.
- Maukerja ads written in English.
- Requirements describe skills, experience and the physical demands of the work.
- Statutory contributions not listed as perks.
- Screening questions match the must-haves, within each board's limit.
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A quick word check based on our job-ad guide. It can miss things and flag harmless uses. Not legal advice.
7. How HireNow checks an ad
HireNow writes each board's version from one brief and checks it before you copy it. Preference wording is flagged red with the exact words, a suggested fix and the source; a red flag blocks copying until it is fixed or overridden with a recorded reason. Pay below the minimum wage and Maukerja ads that are not in English are caught by fixed rules, and wording that needs judgement, such as an indirect preference, is checked by AI against the same rule list. The rule set is stored with effective dates and is awaiting review by a Malaysian employment lawyer.
8. Questions
Can I ask for Mandarin, Malay or Tamil speakers in a job ad?
Yes, if the work needs it. Put the language in the job description with the reason, for example "Mandarin needed to serve our Mandarin-speaking clients", and keep it out of the job title. A language listed as a preference with no reason can read as a race preference.
Can I put an age limit in a job ad in Malaysia?
Only where a legal or regulatory requirement applies, and then you should state that requirement. JobStreet asks employers to avoid wording that prefers an age group, and AJobThing (Maukerja) does not allow age-group preferences.
Does a Maukerja job ad have to be in English?
Yes. AJobThing, which runs Maukerja, asks for ads in English; other languages are optional additions.
What is the minimum wage for a job ad in Malaysia in 2026?
RM1,700 a month under the Minimum Wages Order 2024, for all employers since 1 August 2025 (since 1 February 2025 for employers with five or more employees and for professional activities classified under MASCO). The published hourly equivalent is RM8.72. Domestic workers are excluded.
Sources
- JobStreet, Terms of use addendum: job advertisement guidance
- AJobThing help centre, What content is not allowed in a job ad
- Skrine, Minimum Wages Order 2024 gazetted
- Rödl & Partner, Malaysia: implementation of the Minimum Wages Order 2024
- Labour Department of Peninsular Malaysia, Employment Act 1955 (Act 265)
- Business Today, HR Ministry on discrimination complaints under section 69F
Last checked 8 October 2026 by Avantix Innovation. General information, not legal advice.