An appointment letter in Malaysia gives a new employee a clear record of the role, pay, working arrangements, and key employment terms. It also gives HR, the hiring manager, and payroll a shared reference before the employee starts work.
Quick answer Include the employer and employee details, start date, position, work location, salary and statutory deductions, working hours, leave, key workplace terms, notice, and signatures. Check that the terms match what both parties agreed.
The appointment letter example at the end of this guide follows the supplied document, with the employee’s identifying details left blank. Use the checklist below to understand its sections before reading the example.
1. Add company and employee details.
Start with the company’s reference number and the date of the letter. State the employing company’s name, the employee’s name, IC or passport number, and address. Check these details carefully against the documents collected during hiring.
2. Confirm the role start date and work location.
Set out the commencement date, position, work location, and reporting manager. If the role involves travel, remote work, or possible work at another site, explain the arrangement clearly. Attach a job description that describes the main duties and how performance will be reviewed.
3. Explain salary benefits and statutory deductions.
State the basic salary, wage period, and when salary will be paid. Address bonuses, allowances, expense claims, commissions, and increments separately. If a payment depends on performance or company discretion, say so. If a commission scheme applies, provide its terms.
Explain that applicable EPF, SOCSO, and EIS contributions and PCB tax deductions will be handled under Malaysian requirements. Distinguish deductions from the employee’s pay from contributions the employer must pay. Eligibility and amounts depend on the employee’s circumstances and the relevant rules.
4. Set out working hours, leave, and retirement.
Specify ordinary working days and hours, breaks, and the weekly rest day. Explain how additional work is approved and paid where the employee has a statutory entitlement. A general statement that salary covers all extra hours should be checked against the Employment Act.
State the annual leave entitlement, applicable public holidays, medical leave, and any other leave or benefits. Explain how employees apply for leave, including during probation. If the letter states a retirement age, check it against the Minimum Retirement Age Act 2012, which generally sets the minimum at 60, subject to the Act’s scope and exceptions.
5. Define duties transfer and workplace protections.
Describe the employee’s obligations, including following lawful company procedures and meeting reasonable performance standards. If transfers between locations, departments, or group companies may occur, explain the circumstances and arrangements instead of relying on an unlimited transfer clause.
Address company property: what may be issued, how it should be cared for, and when it must be returned. Any proposed deduction for loss or damage should be checked against the rules on wage deductions.
Confidentiality terms should identify the information the company needs to protect. If the letter includes non-solicitation terms, define the conduct covered and have the wording reviewed for enforceability. Keep these provisions distinct from a broad ban on working for a competitor.
6. State probation notice and how terms change
State any probation period, the review process, and the notice required to end employment. A written employment contract should include a termination provision; the Employment Act also addresses notice and other ways a contract may end.
Explain how amendments will be documented and communicated. Avoid suggesting that the company can change every agreed term simply by issuing a notice. Identify any handbook or policy referred to in the letter and give the employee access to it before acknowledgement. The Employment Regulations require specified terms to be furnished on or before commencement and updated when a change in terms affects wages.
7. Sign and acknowledge the appointment letter.
The CEO or another authorized company representative should sign and date the letter. Provide a section for the applicant to acknowledge the terms, sign and date it, and confirm receipt of any listed attachments. Give the employee a copy and retain the signed record.
Before sending the letter, check that its salary, benefits, duties, and work arrangements match what was agreed upon during recruitment. Resolving differences before signature helps prevent confusion on the first day and beyond.
Appointment letter Malaysia FAQs
Is an appointment letter the same as an employment contract?
An appointment letter may itself record agreed contractual terms, or it may be accompanied by a fuller agreement. The heading alone does not determine its legal effect. Make sure the letter and its attachments are consistent and available before the employee acknowledges them.
Can an employer use the same letter for every employee?
A standard structure can help, but the salary, benefits, work location, job description, probation, and any special terms must reflect the actual appointment. Review the document against the applicable law and the agreements reached during hiring.
Does probation remove annual leave or medical leave rights?
A probation clause should not be drafted as a blanket waiver of statutory leave. Set out the leave entitlement and the process for applying for it, and check the Employment Act requirements for the employee concerned.
Need support with your next hire? inTalent can help employers prepare employment documentation and coordinate onboarding. Contact inTalent to discuss your next hire.
Appointment Letter Example With Employee Details Blank
The wording below follows the supplied appointment letter. Only the employee’s personal details are blank. The sample contains terms that should be reviewed against applicable law and the actual agreement before use or publication.
PRIVATE & CONFIDENTIAL
Our Ref: __________________________
Date: _____________________________
Name: __________________________
I.C. Number: __________________________
Address: ____________________________________________________________
Dear ____________________,
APPOINTMENT AS CIRCUIT ENGINEER
We are pleased to offer you employment with _________________ under the following terms and conditions:
1) Commencement of Employment
Your employment with ____________ will commence on ______________ 2026.
2) Position
Your position in the company shall be designated as a _____________. This is a full-time position.
3) Employer
_____________________________
4) Location of Work
Your official location of work will be at # _____________ You may be required to travel, to be stationed at our clients’ offices on an assignment basis, or to work remotely, as and when it is required from time to time.
5) Reporting Manager
You are required to liaise and report to ___________________ or such other person as may be designated by the Board of Directors.
6) Remuneration
- a) Basic Salary: RM_______ per calendar month
- b) EPF, SOCSO, EIS & PCB Deduction
As per statutory requirements in Malaysia. You are also responsible for all taxes in your country of citizenship and/or residency.
- c) Bonuses, Allowances, Claims, Commissions & Increments
PRIVATE & CONFIDENTIAL
To be prescribed solely at the company’s discretion, in line with your job scope and work performance.
7) Ordinary Working Hours
Days: Monday to Friday (5 Days) Time: 9.00 a.m. to 6.00 p.m. (1 Hour Break)
You will be responsible for ensuring you complete your work requirements and objectives to a satisfactory outcome, working whatever hours are necessary to achieve this. Your salary makes allowance for work outside the typical hours mentioned above, and no additional payments will be made for working outside and additional of these typical hours. It is your responsibility to ensure redundancy exists during your periods of absence and that sufficient time is allocated to the completion of the required outcomes to comply with company requirements.
8) Annual Leave / Public Holidays
You are entitled to 28 working days of pro-rated annual leave. During the probationary period, you are not entitled to take or apply for any annual leave. Annual leave is to be taken once you have been confirmed in your employment. Your accrued annual leave is to be taken at a time convenient to the company and approved by your immediate superior. Your leave entitlement will be increased as per the Employment Act 1955. You are also entitled to all gazetted public holidays recognized by the company.
9) Medical / Other Leave
You are entitled to fourteen (14) days of medical leave. Your leave entitlement will be increased as per the Employment Act 1955. You will also be entitled to other forms of leave if applicable, in accordance with our company policy.
10) Retirement Age
All employees shall automatically retire at the age of sixty (60). The company may, at its discretion, offer re-employment to an employee who has retired.
11) Job Description & Job Efficiency
Your superior or head of department shall determine and give you your job description. Throughout your tenure with the company, your performance will be evaluated. Non-satisfactory job performance, after due reminder, shall be reviewed by your Head of Department, and continued non-satisfactory performance may even lead to your dismissal.
12) Transfer
As an employee of the company, you are subject to transfer at the discretion of the company from one job to another, as well as from one station/section/department/division/branch to another within the group of companies.
13) Employee’s Obligations
The employee shall:
- a) At all times provide services necessary to fulfill this agreement, as and when reasonably
required;
PRIVATE & CONFIDENTIAL
- b) Ensure the services are carried out strictly in accordance with the legislative requirements,
company procedures and standards issued by the Company, and as amended from time to time to the extent by which those legislative requirements, company procedures, and standards are made available by the Company; and
- c) Ensure that the services are carried out to the highest standard.
14) Company Property
The company will provide you with essential items to be used over the duration of your employment, as captured in the Staff Asset Tracking Form. You will be responsible for all company items in your possession. Any damage or loss to company property shall be borne by you. All items are to be returned before your final day of employment.
15) Confidentiality
You shall not disclose any information obtained in connection with _____________ and its related companies’ internal operations, activities, or affairs during your tenure with the Company. Furthermore, the terms of this letter shall remain confidential, and any breach by you shall entitle the company to immediately terminate your employment without the required notice period, excluding any payments due. In addition, the Company may pursue any legal means necessary to obtain recourse for the Breach of Confidentiality.
16) Non-Solicitation
During your employment with the company, you should not accept employment or provide services to any company or other businesses where the nature of the employment or the services provided has the potential to materially assist a competitor.
17) Amendments
The Company reserves the right to amend any of our terms and conditions or to issue new terms and conditions during the validity of this contract by issuing a written notice to you. Additional company policies have been clarified and revised within our company handbook. Acknowledgement and acceptance of this appointment letter constitutes acceptance of our company policies as well. This contract shall supersede all previous discussions, either orally or in writing.
In the event of any conflict or uncertainty, the English interpretation of this appointment letter takes precedence.
18) General
You shall serve the Company in your capacity so as to devote your whole time and attention to the service of the Company and shall not be engaged or be involved in any other occupation or be in any way concerned with the business of any other Company in whatsoever manner unless explicitly authorized by the Company. You shall use your best endeavors to improve and extend the business of the Company and shall at all times faithfully and honestly discharge your duties.
| Yours faithfully, | Terms & Conditions accepted by |
| ________________________________ | ________________________________ |
| Full Name: __________________________ | |
| Position _________________________________ | I.C. No: __________________________ Date: __________________________ |
Sources
[1] KWSP, Employer Mandatory Contribution
[3] HASiL, Employer Responsibilities
[4] HASiL, Monthly Tax Deduction Payment
[5] JTKSM, Employment Act 1955