National Employment Council to focus on 500,000 new jobs

 

The government has announced its intention to create 500,000 new jobs beginning next year.

KUALA LUMPUR: A National Employment Council, chaired by the prime minister, is being set up to focus on efforts to create nearly 500,000 new job opportunities as well as tackle unemployment, Muhyiddin Yassin said tonight.

He said the council will also involve the private sector and skilled groups to assist the government, and provide views on steps needed to achieve the council’s purpose.

“This is a step forward so that we can manage the problem of unemployment, including unemployed graduates, and those who we can retrain so that they are provided with suitable jobs,” he said.

The Cabinet decided to form the National Employment Council because other efforts in the government had worked “in silo” with many committees formed “but they do not provide measures to generate new jobs”.

Muhyiddin said reskilling and upskilling training for some unemployed groups are ongoing currently to enable them to adapt to jobs that will be generated through new economic activities.

The formation of the council was announced in the budget speech yesterday. The council will coordinate efforts across ministries and government agencies.

Various incentives were also being given to investors for at least two years as part of the government’s efforts to create more employment opportunities, he said.

“Not only has the B40 group grown larger, the M40 group is also shrinking in numbers from the loss of jobs. This situation requires us to provide employment opportunities, manage (the situation) so that no Malaysian workers are laid off, (and) that is why wage subsidy assistance is given to help companies face this difficult situation,” he said.

There are more than 860,000 people unemployed in the country at present. - FMT