KUALA LUMPUR – The government’s initiative to offer 50,000 career opportunities through Budget 2023 will instil confidence in future graduates to venture into the working world even though the country is still recovering from the Covid-19 pandemic.
Various levels of society in the country, who lost their source of income in several job sectors during the pandemic, can now breathe a sigh of relief with the announcement by Finance Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz when presenting the Supply Bill 2023 in Parliament on Friday.
Private university graduate Intan Iliana Mahmud, 27, said the announcement has not only given hope to graduates that there are job opportunities for them once they have completed their studies, but also gives them confidence that the government always cares about the future of its citizens.
“They (jobseekers) do not need to worry about career opportunities, as the government has offered 50,000 career opportunities on a contract basis, including 15,000 in the public sector and 35,000 through government-linked companies next year,” she said.
According to P. Narain Kumar, 35, a director of transport company NA Maju Logistics, the government’s effort to extend the employment incentive under the Social Security Organisation to encourage employers to provide job opportunities to persons with disabilities, Orang Asli, ex-convicts, and women, was commendable as it gives opportunities or “a second life” to these groups.
“This effort should be continued in the future so that these groups will not be neglected. For example, former prisoners will not hesitate when it comes to seeking jobs, as we can offer jobs to them,” he said.
An ex-convict who wanted to be known as Raj, a storekeeper, said the opportunity given to groups such as his can definitely help to improve themselves and avoid recidivism.
Meanwhile, Ng Siew Chin, 26, who works in the private sector, said the RM20 million allocation for the Graduate Entrepreneur Programme will benefit 1,000 graduates entering the field of entrepreneurship as it will motivate this group to have creative ideas and dreams about future businesses.
“A majority of the younger generation are interested in business...this can be seen on social media such as TikTok and Facebook. Currently, many of them are using social media to promote their businesses. The Push programme will produce successful entrepreneurs,” she said. – Bernama, October 9, 2022
