KUALA LUMPUR: The number of employee layoffs for the first nine months of this year plunged to 15,903, from 31,945 for the same period last year.
This was revealed by Human Resources Minister M Kulasegaran, who cited statistics from the Labour Department for Jan 1 to Sept 30, 2018.
“This number is much lower compared to the same period in 2017, which saw 31,945 workers laid off.
“(Nevertheless) the government is introducing the Workers Insurance System (SIP) beginning Jan 1 (which acts) as a social safety net for those who lose their jobs,” he said today.
Kulasegaran was responding to a question from Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi (BN-Bagan Datuk) during the Minister’s Question Time at Parliament today.
Zahid wanted to know what steps the government has taken to address unemployment in the country, especially among graduates of higher education institutions.
Kulasegaran explained that the government has implemented several initiatives, including improving the job-seeking system, Jobs Malaysia.
He added that 137,404 students graduated from higher education institutions in Malaysia and abroad last year, which is a 4.4 per cent increase from the 131,600 graduates in 2016.
