KUALA LUMPUR, June 9 -- The Malaysian workforce remains heavily concentrated in the lower-income band, with the vast majority still earning RM5,000 or less amid persistent cost-of-living pressures.

About 70.2 per cent of formal sector workers fell within that income range as of December 2025, according to a New Straits Times report citing latest data.

Bank Muamalat Malaysia Bhd chief economist Dr Mohd Afzanizam Abdul Rashid said the figures underline how deeply inflation is weighing on household finances, particularly in urban centres where expenses continue to climb faster than wages.

He said the squeeze is most evident among working families with dependents, where income growth has failed to keep pace with basic expenditure needs.

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