Over 38,000 Lost Jobs Since Early This Year, KESUMA Actively Expands Interventions

SHAH ALAM – A total of 38,953 individuals have been recorded as having lost their jobs during the period from January to May 2026, thus prompting the Ministry of Human Resources (KESUMA) to intensify various intervention measures to help affected individuals secure new jobs and enhance their skills.

Minister of Human Resources, Datuk Seri Ramanan Ramakrishnan, said KESUMA views seriously the increase in job loss cases recorded in several economic sectors during the first five months of this year.

According to him, various intervention measures have been and are being intensified to help affected workers find new jobs, enhance their skills, and strengthen the resilience of the country’s labour market in facing global geopolitical crises.

“Analysis shows that the majority of cases involve workers aged between 25 and 39 years. By gender, males recorded 23,536 cases or 60.4 percent, while females recorded 15,417 cases or 39.6 percent,” he said in a statement on Sunday.

He said job losses during that period were concentrated in several key economic sectors, particularly the manufacturing sector, wholesale and retail trade, motor vehicle repair, as well as administrative activities and support services.

He explained that this situation was largely influenced by organisational restructuring measures and business operation adjustments implemented by companies to adapt to the current economic environment.

However, Ramanan said Malaysia’s labour market continues to show strong resilience despite facing these challenges.

According to him, in April 2026, the country’s labour force reached 17.33 million people with the unemployment rate remaining low at 3.0 percent.

“The labour force participation rate (LFPR) stood at 70.9 percent, comprising 82.9 percent for males and 57.3 percent for females. This performance reflects a labour market foundation that remains stable and resilient,” he added.

He opined that the increase in job loss cases demands efforts to accelerate the transition of the workforce into sectors with higher demand.

“Given that the majority of affected individuals consist of young and qualified individuals, focus is given to skills alignment with future industry needs through upskilling and reskilling programmes,” he said.

Therefore, Ramanan informed that workers are also encouraged to utilise platforms such as the Labour Market Exchange (LMX) and MYFutureJobs Galaxy to obtain more comprehensive labour market information and plan suitable career paths.

In a related development, according to him, KESUMA is implementing various initiatives based on three main focuses, namely career transition and career support, upskilling programmes, and early intervention for critical sectors to ensure affected workers receive comprehensive support.

He informed that the MYFutureJobs platform will continue to connect workers who have lost their jobs with suitable employment opportunities.

“In addition, the Social Security Organisation (PERKESO) provides training programmes to build new skills or enhance existing skills in line with the needs of growing sectors,” he shared.

Ramanan added that PERKESO also identifies potentially affected sectors and implements early interventions to ensure workers can adapt quickly, seize career transition opportunities, and strengthen their competitiveness.

“KESUMA will continue to monitor labour market trends on an ongoing basis and collaborate with stakeholders to formulate comprehensive interventions, reduce the impact of job losses, and strengthen the competitiveness of the country’s workforce,” he said.

Sinar Harian