KUALA LUMPUR: Nearly 39,000 Malaysians lost their jobs in the first five months of this year, prompting the government to strengthen support measures for affected workers.
According to data cited by ETHRWorldSEA, the Human Resources Ministry said 38,953 workers were recorded as having lost their jobs between January and May under the Employment Insurance System (EIS).
Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri R. Ramanan said most of those affected were aged between 25 and 39.
Men accounted for 23,536 cases, while women made up 15,417 cases.
The job losses were mainly recorded in the manufacturing, wholesale and retail trade, motor vehicle repair, and administrative support sectors, largely due to business restructuring and operational adjustments by companies.
Ramanan said the ministry is expanding employment and skills programmes to help affected workers secure new jobs, enhance their skills and transition into industries with stronger demand.
Despite the rise in layoffs, he said Malaysia's labour market remains resilient, with the unemployment rate standing at 3.0 per cent in April and the labour force reaching 17.33 million people.
