Unemployment rate continues downward trend - Sivakumar

ALOR GAJAH - The country's unemployment rate continues to show a falling trend, with 3.5 per cent recorded in the first quarter of 2023 compared to 3.6 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2022, said Human Resources Minister V. Sivakumar.

According to him, this is due to a significant shift in job-seeking trends, especially among the youth recently. At the same time, there were various initiatives being implemented by the government to assist job seekers aged 40 and above.

"There is indeed a changing trend in job search, especially after COVID-19, as many people lost their jobs and then sought employment opportunities that match their interests and skills. This change in trend is evident," he said at a press conference after launching the Madani Tour with the Minister of Human Resources programme in Pulau Sebang today.

He added that data from the MYFutureJobs Portal showed that 455,350 job seekers nationwide have been successfully placed in various sectors from 2022 until September 2023.

"This is a positive indication that more people are starting to work, and the unemployment rate is decreasing. At the same time, they are receiving fair wages or salaries," he said.

Commenting further, Sivakumar said Human Resources Ministry (MOHR) with other agencies including the Social Security Organisation (Socso), will make more efforts to reduce youth unemployment rates.

The proposed programme aimed not only to lower the unemployment rate but also to equip the nation's youth with adequate training and skills to enter the highly competitive job market, he added.

"We are monitoring developments and trends worldwide to identify potential future jobs. Currently, there is a high demand in specific fields such as cyber security and digitalisation," he said. - BERNAMA