Overworked & Underpaid?

“Being worked to the bone”. Such is the claim of a former 99 Speedmart employee who grumbled about having to work 12-hour shifts, six-day weeks and having to cover “two or three stores”. All this for RM60 more which is a pittance of a salary. (This was reported in Focus Malaysia on 22 April 2025). 

The founder of the convenience store chain and CEO of its publicly listed holding company 99 Speed Mart Retail Holdings Bhd, is the eighth richest person in Malaysia on the 2025 Forbes list with a net worth of US$3.5 bil (RM13.32 bil).

 

Source: https://ms.wikipedia.org

Notwithstanding this, the complainant is adamant that the secret lies in 99 Speedmart extracting its pound of flesh from each of its employees while paying them minimum wages. 

The complainant contended while he respects the founder – a polio survivor – for having started from the very bottom, the problem of staff shortage would not have existed if an equitable wage was paid given the number of outlets, 2,800 outlets with 23,000 staff. He would be willing to live up to the challenges of long hours and back-breaking labour (9am to 10.30pm for six days) as a branch manager if he was paid a monthly wage of at least RM3,500. The lack of off days was another grievance. One former staff claimed he had to work for months without a break. One claimed the working conditions were so poor that he threw in the towel by serving a 24-hour notice, thus leaving an outlet short-handed. Another grumbled about staff shortages which became very acute during public holidays. This necessitated finding replacement staff if employees wished to take leave.

In a response to the allegations made, 99 Speedmart replied “across West Malaysia, our current basic salary range for branch manager starts from RM2,800 to RM3,000 not including any additional allowances or incentives which may vary based on geographical location. Branch managers who demonstrate outstanding performance are entrusted to manage two outlets are also eligible for additional perks. However, they are typically assigned to oversee one outlet per day. While cashiers receive a gross income inclusive of overtime pay, that exceeds RM1,800 which is well above the national minimum wage.” And the company adheres to all labour laws and is committed to the welfare of its employees.

Suffice to say, ethical and equitable working conditions are still way off in some companies in Malaysia regardless of whether one is doing corporate or menial jobs. And the owner as a billionaire and polio victim could review his present policies and practices. 

References:

Ex-staff claims overworking & underpaying is secret behind 99 Speedmart’s meteoric success, Focus Malaysia, 22 April 2025 

Our rates are competitive: 99 Speedmart denies ex-staff claim over poor pay, long working hours, Yong Eng Kwang, Focus Malaysia, 24 April 2025