KUALA LUMPUR — The Human Resources Ministry (Kesuma) is broadening its employment and skills interventions to support workers affected by job losses, while reinforcing the resilience of Malaysia’s labour market amid ongoing global geopolitical uncertainties.
Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri R. Ramanan said the initiative comes in response to a rise in cases of loss of employment (LOE) recorded across several sectors during the first five months of the year, Bernama reported.
He said Employment Insurance Scheme (EIS) data showed that 38,953 individuals were retrenched between January and May, with the majority aged between 25 and 39.
“By gender, men accounted for 23,536 cases or 60.4 per cent, while women made up 15,417 cases or 39.6 per cent,” he said in a statement.
Ramanan said job losses were largely concentrated in manufacturing, wholesale and retail trade, repair of motor vehicles, as well as administrative and support services, driven mainly by corporate restructuring and operational adjustments in response to current economic conditions.
Despite these developments, he stressed that Malaysia’s labour market continues to remain stable and resilient, supported by strong participation and relatively low unemployment levels.
“The labour force reached 17.33 million in April, while the unemployment rate remained low at 3.0 per cent,” he said.
He added that the labour force participation rate (LFPR) stood at 70.9 per cent, with men at 82.9 per cent and women at 57.3 per cent, reflecting continued labour market stability.
Ramanan said Kesuma is closely monitoring global economic and geopolitical trends that could affect the energy sector and international supply chains, allowing for early interventions to mitigate employment risks.
He noted that the rising number of job losses underscores the need to accelerate workforce transitions into higher-demand sectors, particularly among young and skilled workers.
Workers, he said, are encouraged to utilise platforms such as the Labour Market Exchange (LMX) and MYFutureJobs Galaxy to access real-time labour market information and better plan their career pathways.
To provide comprehensive support, Ramanan said Kesuma is focusing on three key areas of intervention.
“The first focus is 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.
He added that the third focus centres on early intervention in critical sectors through the identification of industries at risk, enabling workers to adapt more quickly and improve their competitiveness.
“Kesuma 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. – June 14, 2026