KUALA LUMPUR:The Malaysian Youth Council (MYC)  suggested the government to introduce a job guarantee scheme under the 2021 Budget to address the unemployment problem among the thousands of new graduates who are not able to secure jobs due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Its Soft Skills and Employability Training Programme (PROKENS) director Muhammad Abu Kadir Mubarak Ali said the scheme could be implemented in two to three years with focus on the economic sector.

He said this included in the manufacturing sector, involving the production of personal protective equipment (PPE), sanitiser and face masks, as well as in the digital field, information technology and computer software development.

“During the COVID-19 pandemic, companies tend to downsize their operation and some even forced to cease operation, thus causing workers to be laid off, and the number of retrenched workers does not include those who are still looking for jobs.

“However, there are certain sectors that receive high demand and should be given focus. A job guarantee scheme, for example, will be the platform for graduates to get experience and increase their technical skills in line with current market needs,” he said to Bernama.

Muhammad Abu Kadir also opined that youth who are self-employed, but lost their income due to COVID-19, should be given assistance for six months to help them to recover their business.

He said such this had been practised in countries like Singapore, the United Kingdom and Australia, where the youths are paid “salary” as a temporary aid until the situation returns to normal.

“They are not eligible to get assistance under the Employee Insurance Scheme because jobs like trader, freelancer and e-hailing driver, are not in the permanent job category,” he said.

Meanwhile Malaysian Youth Council president Jufitri Joha suggested the government to introduce a Youth Farm programme allowing participants to work on idle government land.

“Youth involvement in agriculture will also reduce their migration from the rural areas to the cities,” he added.

-- BERNAMA