Unemployed in Malaysia down 3.4 per cent in October 2021

PUTRAJAYA: The number of unemployed in Malaysia dropped by 3.4 per cent to 705,000 in October this year from 729,600 the previous month, following more economic activities being allowed again, according to the Malaysia Labour Statistics, October 2021.

A report issued by the Department of Statistics Malaysia stated that the number of residents working in the country increased by 0.6 per cent from month to month to 15.55 million in October compared to 15.46 million in September, with the labour force to population ratio at 03: 65.8 per cent.

The number of workers rose by 0.4 per cent in October 2021 to 16.26 million from 16.19 million in September, while the labour participation rate in October increased by 0.2 percentage point to 68.8 per cent compared to 68.6 per cent in September.

Chief statistician Datuk Seri Mohd Uzir Mahidin in a statement today said the country's labour force situation improved in October 2021 due to many of the states having transited to Phase 4 of the National Recovery Plan following the increase in vaccination rates and declining number of COVID-19 daily cases.

"This positive development resulted in the reopening of economic activities and cross-state travel allowed.

"Besides that, many tourist destinations were allowed to re-open to fully-vaccinated visitors, thus boosting travel and domestic tourism activities during that month (October)," he added.

On the unemployment situation last October, Mohd Uzir said the active unemployed or those who were willing to work and actively looking for a job comprised 83.6 per cent of he total number of unemployed, with this group down by 3.5 per cent to 589,500 from 611,000 in September.

Out of the active unemployed, 55.5 per cent were those who were unemployed for less than three months while the long-term unemployed were jobless for over a year. forming 7.8 per cent.

Mohd Uzir said the rate of unemployment among youths aged 15 to 30 declined by 0.4 point percentage from month to month from 8.5 per cent in September to 8.1 per cent in October.

-- BERNAMA