THE Statistics Department said the labour market may continue to face challenges in regaining momentum with the significant rise in Covid-19 cases since September.

Chief statistician Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin said the predicament is being mitigated through the government’s introduction of a comprehensive stimulus package to protect the most vulnerable group, guarantee job retention and creation, as well as support small, medium and micro-enterprises.

“The extension of the wage subsidy programme until next month may offer some relief for firms as they gradually resume operations while protecting their employees from losing jobs,” he said in a statement today in conjunction with the release of the department’s Labour Market Review Third Quarter (Q3) 2020. 

Uzir said in terms of labour supply, the unemployment rate decreased to 4.7% in Q3 after recording a high of 5.1% in Q2.

“As Malaysia entered the recovery movement-control order phase since June 10, most economic sectors gradually resumed operations in compliance with the Health Ministry’s standard operating procedure.

“Meanwhile, employed persons during the same period rose 1.4% to 15.1 million, mostly in the services, manufacturing and construction sectors,” he said. 

The report also said total jobs in the private sector, which consisted of filled jobs and vacancies, improved by 88,000 in Q3 to 8.47 million jobs. 

“Vacancies went up by 9,800 in Q3 to 179,000, now at a rate of 2.1%. Vacancies stood at just 2% in Q2.

“The number of jobs created also increased by 7,300 against the previous quarter to 21,000 jobs, with more than half of the jobs created in the semi-skilled category,” it said. 

Uzir said the report also found labour productivity per hour worked grew sharply as the total hours worked plummeted in Q2.

“The sudden spike in output per hour worked signalled people were working harder during the limited business hours to ensure production and targets were met,” he said. – Bernama, November 19, 2020.