KUANTAN: Pahang recorded the highest labour force participation rate among the East Coast states at 65.3% in the first three months of this year, says Datuk Khairul Firdaus Akbar Khan.
The Deputy Human Resources Minister said this followed the implementation of various initiatives to improve public access to employment opportunities, including through the MYFutureJobs programme under PERKESO.
He noted that Pahang’s unemployment rate remained low at 1.9% during the same period.
“This reflects PERKESO’s ongoing commitment to reducing the country’s unemployment rate while providing the best opportunity for young people to seize the jobs available,” he said at the opening of the Indera Mahkota MYFutureJobs Career Carnival 2026 here yesterday.
The event featured 6,000 job vacancies offered by 30 employers across various industries.
A total of 26,877 job seekers in Pahang secured employment under various labour market initiatives implemented by PERKESO between 2023 and July 24 this year.
During the same period, PERKESO had organised 1,277 interview programmes and career carnivals across the state.
More than 10,000 job vacancies were also advertised through the MYFutureJobs portal, while 11,857 registered job seekers were recorded in Pahang this year.
Khairul Firdaus said the ministry not only provides access to employment opportunities but also offers various training programmes to help workers adapt to evolving industry needs.
He added that the government would continue strengthening the Sahabat Madani initiative alongside MYFutureJobs to bring employment services closer to the people, particularly those in rural and hard-to-reach communities.
The initiative promotes the spirit of volunteerism, social responsibility and community service among Malaysian youth.
Meanwhile, the Prime Minister’s political secretary, Ahmad Farhan, said Sahabat Madani is not merely a volunteer organisation but also serves as a community movement that bridges the gap between the government and local communities.
“However, our work does not stop here. I want even more young people to join the initiative,” he said when launching the state-level Sahabat Madani programme at the same event.
