What happens when minimum wage jumps this much?

Opinion
06 Oct 2026 • 3:00 PM MYT
What happens when minimum wage jumps this much?

Imagine Malaysia raising minimum wage from RM1,700 to RM3,000. That’s a 76% increase. What would actually happen?

Hungary almost doubled theirs and small businesses shed jobs. Spain raised theirs by 22% and employment among affected workers barely fell. Mexico raised theirs by 142% over five years, without the massive employment collapse some feared.

So why such different outcomes?

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