MORE than 4,000 people in Sarawak lost their jobs during the Covid-19 pandemic between 2020 and last year, Gerawat Jala told the state assembly today.

The state deputy minister of labour, immigration and project monitoring said 3,002 were laid off in 2020 and 1,035 last year.

To assist them and others most affected by the pandemic, such as petty traders and the B40 group, he said the state government had rolled out eight Sarawakku Sayang special assistance packages totalling RM5.7 billion.

The packages include cash assistance, he added.

On the problem of unemployment, Gerawat said the state government has introduced graduate enhancement training and industry workforce development programmes. The latter is a place and train programme.

Gerawat said the Social Security Organisation (Socso) is holding job fairs for rural youth.

He said big companies such as Sarawak Oil Palms Bhd and Petchem Sdn Bhd are also holding career fairs to fill vacancies.

As for the long term, Gerawat said the state government will implement various initiatives under the state’s post Covid-19 development strategy.

“More than 200,000 high paying jobs will be created by 2030,” he added.

Gerawat told the assembly that 1,479 illegal immigrants have registered under on the state’s recalibration plan to work legally.

At the same time, 635 illegal visitors have opted to be repatriated home.

Under Ops Benteng to nab illegal immigrants, Gerawat said since the operation started on May 22, 95 immigrants have been arrested and 415 turned back at the border. – May 18, 2022.