MALAYSIA’S unemployment rate remained unchanged at 3.0 per cent in August 2025, with the labour market showing signs of continued resilience amid stable economic growth and rising labour force participation, according to official data released by the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM).
Chief Statistician Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin said the total number of unemployed persons fell by 0.3 per cent to 520,000 in August, down from 521,600 in July, reflecting a sustained demand for labour across key economic sectors.
“The labour force expanded by 0.2 per cent month-on-month to 17.51 million persons, pushing the labour force participation rate up slightly to 70.9 per cent from 70.8 per cent in July,” he said in a statement on Friday.
Employment figures also improved, rising 0.2 per cent to 16.99 million from 16.95 million in July. Of these, 74.9 per cent were employees, increasing slightly to 12.73 million, while own-account workers rose 0.5 per cent to 3.22 million.
Strong growth was observed in the services sector, particularly in wholesale and retail trade, information and communication, and hospitality services. Employment in the manufacturing, construction, agriculture, and mining and quarrying sectors also showed positive movement.
“Malaysia’s labour market is expected to remain resilient in the months ahead, driven by steady economic performance, recovering sectors, and greater labour demand,” said Mohd Uzir.
He added that if the current momentum continues, the country could see its strongest labour market performance in more than a decade. - October 10, 2025
