Unemployment higher in January as tourism industries hit

Many hotels, like the Hotel Equatorial Penang, have been forced to shut down since last year; more are expected to follow suit. — LIM BENG TATT/The Star

KUALA LUMPUR: The unemployment rate in January rose to 4.9% from 4.8% in December due to tourism-related industries impacted by Covid-19, a decline in the agriculture sector despite gains by the manufacturing and services sectors.

The Statistics Department said on Monday the unemployment rate in January rose by 9,700 people to 782,500 from the 772,900 in December.