Malaysia records unemployment rate of 4.5pct in May - Stats Dept

 

Malaysia's unemployment rate in May 2021 was 4.5 percent or involving 728,100 persons, according to the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM).

In its Statistics of Labour Force, Malaysia, May 2021 report published today, DOSM said the unemployment rate in May 2021 was slightly lower as compared to 4.6 percent in April.

In May last year, Malaysia experienced an all-time high monthly unemployment rate of 5.3 percent with 826,100 unemployed persons.

“Thus, in comparison with the same month of the previous year, the number was smaller yet still above 500,000 persons recorded during the pre-pandemic period,” said Chief Statistician Mohd Uzir Mahidin in a statement today.

Commenting on the unemployment in May 2021, Mohd Uzir said the actively unemployed, which comprised more than 80 percent of the total unemployed persons, recorded a reduction of 8,700 persons to 609,900 compared to 618,700 in April.

“Among the actively unemployed who were available for work and were actively seeking jobs, 52.2 percent were unemployed for less than three months while those who were in long-term unemployment of more than a year comprised of 10.2 per cent,” he said.

Mohd Uzir said the number of employed persons in May increased marginally by 0.1 per cent to 15.37 million compared with 15.35 million in April.

By economic sector, the number of employed persons in the services sector posted a month-on-month increase particularly in wholesale and retail trade; food and beverage, as well as human health and social work activities, he said.

- Bernama