NEWLY announced MUDA candidate for the Puteri Wangsa state seat, Rashifa Aljunied, has found herself at the centre of online debate after her video discussing unpaid internships resurfaced on social media.
The video, shared by Malaysia Gazette on X, features Rashifa speaking about the challenges faced by interns and the issue of students undergoing industrial training without receiving allowances.
The discussion gained traction shortly after MUDA introduced the 26-year-old as its candidate for the Puteri Wangsa constituency in the upcoming Johor state election.
In the comment section, some users questioned whether unpaid internships remain a widespread problem, citing their own experiences of receiving allowances during their internship periods.
“Syarikat untung berbilion tapi intern pun tak boleh bayar…. Bila intern tidak dibayar, di mana kekayaan negara kita ini?
Saya pun tak faham apa dia cakap. Apa kaitan syarikat untung berbilion, intern tak dibayar dan kekayaan negara?
Jadi, inilah dia calon MUDA di PRN Johor. https://t.co/ktaOpCNFaL pic.twitter.com/4uiY5cdNEE
— Roman Akramovich (@SyedAkramin) June 20, 2026
Others argued that many companies now offer monthly stipends ranging from several hundred ringgit to more than RM1,000.
Perhaps, Rashifa’s remarks do not reflect the current employment landscape, and more likely an exaggeration for political mileage ahead of the election.
According to netizen @amrddnahmd, the candidate only appeared during the election season.
Then there was @syah5547 pointing out that every government linked companies pay an allowance to the interns.
Also, @ZERO3HIRTY claimed such people will become quiet once they are given a good position like Adam Adli.
“In Malaysia, interns are generally provided an allowance between RM500 – RM1500 depending on the tasks and company,” said @PejuangTanah57.
@RedditNegaraku1 further suggested that the MUDA candidate bring up issues like Rohingya refugees to get votes instead of taking the intern side.
Note that Rashifa is no stranger to the campaign for intern welfare. She first gained national attention in 2023 when she advocated for better protection and fair compensation for interns under the slogan “Intern Bukan Buruh Percuma” (Interns Are Not Free Labour).
At the time, she argued that some students were still being forced to undertake unpaid industrial training despite rising living costs. Reports also highlighted concerns about the lack of legal protections specifically covering interns.—June 21, 2026
Main image: @SyedAkramin (X)
