KUALA LUMPUR – Parliament's approval of Budget 2021 at the policy stage yesterday has brought relief to jobseekers who are relying on various initiatives in it to help them during the Covid-19 crisis.
Although the approval is only at the policy stage, it is a "sign" that MPs listened to the people’s plight and grievances, and were prepared to set aside their political differences for the sake of the people.
Optimistic that Budget 2021 will be supported by MPs from both sides of the divide at the next stage, Malaysian Trade Union Congress (MTUC) president Datuk Abdul Halim Mansor said among the long-awaited initiatives is the Employment Generation Guarantee Scheme (JanaKerja), which involves 500,000 jobs starting next year.
“With the current situation, those who have lost their jobs are hoping that the government will do something to ensure their welfare is looked after and the Budget 2021 can be likened to a lifeline for them,” he said.
The Supply Bill 2021 (Budget 2021) was passed at the policy stage with a majority voice vote yesterday.
Efforts by the opposition and independent members to call for bloc voting failed, after they did not meet the minimum number of MPs required for a vote. Only 13 of the MPs stood, while they need 15 people to stand to allow the process to take place.
With an allocation of RM322.5 billion, Budget 2021 is the largest in the country’s history.
According to Halim, to date, an estimated 800,000 people have lost their jobs due to the pandemic, with almost 100,000 receiving assistance from the Social Security Organisation (Socso) and the Employment Insurance System.
Meanwhile, there are about 700,000 who need the government's help, either in terms of new jobs or assistance as entrepreneurs, he added.
Through the Budget tabled on November 6, the government will also continue with the recruitment of employees under Socso, now known as PenjanaKerjaya, involving an allocation of RM2 billion.
PenjanaKerjaya, which comes under the National Economic Recovery Plan (Penjana), is aimed at boosting job demands among employers and increasing job opportunities and employability among local jobseekers.
Meanwhile, a former pilot, Mohamad Syafiq Mohamed Shariff, 30, believes the JanaKerja scheme will help him to find a new job, but possibly in another field.
“I have to learn new skills to suit the job vacancies available,” he said, adding JanaKerja not only provides jobs, but also the opportunity to acquire new knowledge and skills.
Syafiq, with five years' experience as a pilot, said he was given unpaid leave for a year after the country was hit by Covid-19.
Meanwhile, former restaurant manager Iqbal Hafifi Zainuddin, 30, said he is waiting for the implementation of the JanaKerja scheme, and is willing to change his career to earn a steady income.
"I'm now a e-hailing driver, so the income depends on the number of passengers I get and, in this current situation, because of Covid-19, not many people want to leave the house.
"If I can get a job (through JanaKerja), I will not hesitate to register with the scheme. After all, through JanaKerja, we will be trained, so there is no problem," he added. – Bernama, November 27, 2020
