Job losses rise 29% to 68,177 as Malaysia labour market faces sectoral pressure

THE nation recorded 68,177 job losses between January and Sept 16, an increase of 15,196 workers or about 29 per cent from the same period last year, as manufacturing and wholesale and retail trade came under pressure.

Economy Minister Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir said the increase warranted close monitoring, although overall labour-market indicators remained resilient.

He said the labour force and number of employed people continued to grow as of July, with the labour force reaching 17.37 million and employed people 16.85 million.

The labour force participation rate remained at 70.9 per cent, he said.

“The unemployment rate also remained at 3.0 per cent, the same as the previous month, involving about 520,300 unemployed people,” he said during a briefing on the Global Supply Crisis on Friday.

Akmal said the figures showed that the labour market remained broadly stable despite continued pressure in several sectors.

“However, the government remains vigilant over these developments, particularly the increase in job losses in affected sectors,” he said.

He said the Social Security Organisation (PERKESO) was continuing to help displaced workers return to employment through the Employment Insurance System (SIP) and the MYFutureJobs portal.

From January to Sept 11, 143,653 workers had been successfully placed in new jobs through the initiatives, he said.

“This development shows that government intervention is not merely about providing temporary support to affected workers, but also helping them secure new jobs and return to work.

“It also reflects that although the labour market as a whole remains stable, continued focus is needed to address job losses occurring in certain sectors,” he said. - September 19, 2026