COVID-19: 5,443 Penangites lose jobs since March

GEORGE TOWN: A total of 5,443 people have lost their jobs in various fields in Penang since March when the Movement Control Order was enforced to contain the COVID-19 pandemic.

Deputy Chief Minister II, Prof Dr P. Ramasamy said according to reports from the Penang Manpower Department, these included permanent and voluntary termination.

He said 122 people had their jobs terminated in March, 1,494 (April), 275 (May), 1,542 (June), 1,184 (July), 290 (August) and 536 (September), in reply to a question from Zulkifli Ibrahim (Bersatu-Sungai Acheh) at the State Legislative Assembly sitting, here, today.

However, he said, the state government with the cooperation of relevant agencies, had created various mitigation programmes including job matching for those who lost their jobs.

Ramasamy said to date, there were at least 4,000 new job opportunities offered by various parties in the state.

“We have also held regular meetings with the MTUC (Malaysian Trades Union Congress) and other relevant parties on how to tackle COVID-19 issues which have led to this unemployment problem, ” he added.

Currently, the unemployment rate in Penang is 4.5 to five per cent.

-- BERNAMA