MPC: Labour output contracted for first time since 2009

However, MPC was optimistic the country’s productivity level will improve, projecting it to rebound this year.

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s labour productivity contracted by -5.4% in 2020, which was the first time since the 2019 global financial crisis, due to the fallout from the Covid-19 pandemic, but output is expected to rebound this year.

The Malaysia Productivity Corporation (MPC) said on Monday the on-year 5.4% decline was due to the pandemic which had severely impacted economic activities locally and globally.