HOUSEHOLDS earning a gross income of RM7,000 per month in states such as Kelantan and Kedah can be categorised in the top 20 per cent (T20) group.
Based on the 2024 Household Income Survey Report issued by the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM), the household income threshold for the T20 category in Kelantan is set at RM7,000 and above, while in Kedah it is RM7,820 and above.
This means that households in Kelantan earning RM7,000 a month have passed the M40 category, which is in the range of RM3,520 to RM6,999.
The same situation is also seen in Kedah when the B40 category is set at an income below RM3,940, M40 (RM3,940-RM7,819), while T20 (starting at RM7,820).
The comparison shows that the threshold for entering the T20 category in several states is much lower than in major cities such as Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya.
Image from Kosmo!
In Selangor, the T20 category only starts with a gross household income of RM16,040 and above, while Kuala Lumpur (RM17,030) and Putrajaya (RM19,030).
Nationally, DOSM sets the B40 category at a household income of less than RM5,860, M40 (RM5,860-RM12,679), while T20 (starts at RM12,680).
Other states that also recorded lower T20 thresholds include Perlis (RM8,010), Perak (RM8,220), Pahang (RM8,090) and Sarawak (RM9,710).
Meanwhile, the states with higher T20 thresholds after the Klang Valley are Johor and Penang, at RM13,560 and RM12,680, respectively. – May 15, 2026
