KUALA LUMPUR – The unemployment rate in Malaysia remained at 3.7% in August 2022 compared to the previous month, according to the Statistics Department (DoSM).
DoSM, in a statement today, however, said the number of unemployed recorded a drop of 1.4% to 612,000 people in August compared to 620,700 people in the previous month.
The department recorded a labour force of 16.63 million in August compared to 16.60 million in the previous month, while for the working population, it was 16.02 million people in August this year from 15.98 million people in July.
The largest component of the working population is the employee category, at 76%, self-employed (17.5%), employers (3.4%) and unpaid family workers (3.1%), it said.
Meanwhile, the number of active unemployed recorded in August decreased by 2%, which was 507,300 people, compared to 517,400 people in the previous month.
The number of people outside the labour force decreased 0.1% to 7.24 million people in August compared to 7.25 million in July, with the largest component due to housework or family responsibilities at 42.9%.
Those outside of the labour force refers to people who are not classified as working or unemployed, including housewives, students, retirees and individuals who are not interested in looking for jobs, while the actively unemployed are those who are willing to work and are actively looking for jobs. – Bernama, October 11, 2022