BUKIT MERTAJAM – The government is expecting the unemployment rate to drop to 4.5% by December, following the implementation of the Human Resources Development Fund (HRDF) under the National Economic Recovery Plan (Penjana).
According to Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri M. Saravanan, the unemployment rate in the country was 5.3% in May.
"However, the unemployment rate has dropped to 4.7% in September although the country is currently facing economic crisis and Covid-19 pandemic.
"So, with assistance such as the Penjana HRDF, the ministry is able to produce creative, productive and competitive human capital and make projections that the unemployment rate will decrease to 4.5% by December," he said during the virtual launch of the Penjana HRDF Initiative programme today.
Meanwhile, the ministry has introduced a new programme, the Employment Retention Programme (ERP), to assist employees who are forced to take unpaid leave due to the Covid-19 outbreak.
The Penjana HRDF, which was launched on June 22, was established to help address the issue of pandemic-related unemployment.
Five schemes have been introduced under the programme namely Training and Placement, B40 Development, SME Development, Industrial Revolution 4.0 and Gerak Insan Gemilang (GIG).
In Penang, a total of 150 trainees participated in the five-day programme from October 12 to 16, which emphasised skills training in producing competitive human capital. – Bernama, October 16, 2020
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