THE manufacturing sector has retrenched the highest number of people (21,782) since the Covid-19 pandemic began in January, said M. Saravanan.

“According to the employment insurance system (SIP), 95,995 Malaysians were retrenched between January and November 13,” the human resources minister said in a written reply to the Dewan Rakyat.

Of that, the manufacturing sector retrenched 21,782 employees (22.6%), followed by the accommodation and food and beverage sector (13,226 or 14%), he said.

Next was the wholesale and retail sector, which retrenched 13,478 (13.7%) employees, followed by professional and technical (9,253), management and support services (7,445), construction (6,855) and ICT (5,136).

The transport sector retrenched 5,418, followed by the finance and insurance (2,468), property (2,506), education (1,967) and arts and entertainment (1,436).

Saravanan, who is also Tapah MP, was replying to Dr Azman Ismail’s (Kuala Kedah-PH) question on the number of people retrenched this year and the break down according to sectors.

On unemployment, Saravanan said the rate fell by 0.1% to 4.6% in September, as compared to August.

“Based on our latest report, 106,937 from 375,431 of those retrenched have found new jobs under the MYFutureJobs programme.”

The uptake was in the accommodation and food and beverage, transport and entertainment sectors.

“Businesses have also begun rehiring gradually,” he added.

The minister was responding to Rubiah Wang’s (Kota Samarahan-GPS) question on the government’s approach to unemployment. – November 25, 2020.