KUALA LUMPUR: The Human Resources Ministry is expanding employment and skills interventions to assist workers affected by job losses, while strengthening the resilience of the national labour market amid global geopolitical crises.
Its minister, Datuk Seri R. Ramanan, said the move follows a rise in cases of loss of employment (LOE) recorded across several economic sectors during the first five months of this year.
He said based on statistics from the Employment Insurance Scheme (EIS), a total of 38,953 individuals lost their jobs between January and May, with the majority aged between 25 and 39.
"By gender, men accounted for 23,536 cases or 60.4%, while women made up 15,417 cases or 39.6%," he said in a statement on Sunday (June 14).
Ramanan said job losses during the period were concentrated in several key sectors, including manufacturing, wholesale and retail trade and repair of motor vehicles, as well as administrative and support service activities.
He said the situation was largely driven by organisational restructuring and business operational adjustments undertaken by companies to adapt to the current economic environment.
Ramanan added that despite these challenges, Malaysia's labour market continues to demonstrate strong resilience, with the labour force reaching 17.33 million in April, while the unemployment rate remained low at 3.0%.
"The labour force participation rate (LFPR) stood at 70.9%, comprising 82.9% for men and 57.3% for women. This performance reflects a labour market that remains stable and resilient," he said.
He said his ministry continues to monitor global economic and geopolitical developments that could affect the energy sector and international supply chains, enabling early interventions to be implemented and risks to employment to be reduced.
The rising number of job losses calls for accelerated workforce transition into higher-demand sectors, particularly among affected young and skilled workers, he said.
In this regard, workers are encouraged to make use of platforms such as the Labour Market Exchange (LMX) and MYFutureJobs Galaxy to access more comprehensive labour market information and plan suitable career pathways.
To ensure holistic support, Ramanan said his ministry is implementing various initiatives based on three key focuses, with the first centred on career transition and support through the MYFutureJobs platform.
"This aims to connect LOE workers with suitable job vacancies, alongside the use of labour market data via LMX and MYFutureJobs Galaxy to help workers make more informed career decisions.
"The second focus involves upskilling and reskilling programmes by the Social Security Organisation (PERKESO) to develop new skills or enhance existing ones in line with the needs of growing sectors," he said.
The third focus involves early intervention in critical sectors by identifying industries that may be affected, enabling workers to adapt more quickly, seize career transition opportunities and strengthen their competitiveness.
"The ministry will continue to monitor labour market trends and work with stakeholders to formulate comprehensive interventions to reduce the impact of job losses and ensure that every affected worker receives appropriate support," he said. – Bernama
