WITH the Covid-19 situation largely under control now, the focus has shifted to reviving the economy – the importance of which can’t be understated, as doing so will lead to even more problems affecting both lives and livelihood.

Things won’t turn the corner anytime soon, though. The pandemic will be a part of the global landscape for the next two years at least. In the meantime, it would be prudent to examine the peripheral issues arising directly or indirectly from the coronavirus and its economic aftermath.

The poor outlook has caused slowdowns in almost all industries, resulting in a soft job market. Vacancies for high-skilled and management positions have declined, though there are more low- and semi-skilled job opportunities given the boom in the logistics and delivery sectors, coupled with the difficulty in obtaining foreign labour on account of the virus crisis.

This somewhat cushions the impact of unemployment, but there’s no escaping the fact that dwindling high-skilled posts will result in Malaysia losing its competitiveness. The government has to ensure continued employability in areas like big data analytics and industrial automation so as to not waste all the effort poured into developing them over the years. We should prioritise segments that are marketable and can fulfil our immediate or medium-term needs, such as food security. It also bears remembering that the lack of ready manpower in these high-value sectors will slow down their recovery post-pandemic.

Demand has soared for online services, and workers in the gig industry have reportedly doubled. This spreads the market thin, leading to lower wages and a decreased need to offer incentives. A cannibalisation of the marketplace is very much possible.

These woes feed the decline in high-skilled positions. Skills, if not applied and improved on, will fade, along with interest in such jobs, especially those requiring technical expertise. In the long run, this could cost the nation. Thus, entrepreneurial start-ups that show promise should be supported so that we maintain our regional edge, economically and technologically.

Attention must not be given solely to the moneymakers; “non-profitable” industries, like the arts and culture, are also affected by Covid-19 and deserve assistance. They contribute to our national heritage, and serve to promote unity and harmony.

The downturn has dealt a blow not only to people’s finances, but also their mental health, and this should be seriously looked into by the government. Even among those whose salaries haven’t been affected much, the inability to travel for months, change in routine due to working from home and spending pretty much all waking hours with their young children because schools were shut can have adverse effects. Government agencies, as well as companies’ human resources departments, should offer counselling, mental health awareness programmes and suicide helplines, among others.

We have to take a long-term view to heal and rebuild from the pandemic. Stabilising the economy and preserving our culture and competitiveness is no mean feat, but working towards this goal is far better than engaging in prolonged political squabbles. – August 12, 2020.

* Emmanuel Joseph firmly believes that Klang is the best place on Earth, and that motivated people can do far more good than any leader with motive.

* This is the opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insight. Article may be edited for brevity and clarity.