Unemployment rose marginally during the last quarter of 2020 when the third wave of the Covid-19 outbreak took place.
According to the Department of Statistics (DOSM), fourth quarter (Q4) 2020 unemployment reached an estimated 4.8 percent or 772,900 persons, up from 4.7 percent or 745,000 persons in the previous quarter.
The final quarter of 2020 saw the Sabah elections took place in October followed by a massive outbreak of Covid-19 in the state.
In November and December, the spread of the virus in the Klang Valley accelerated.
Putrajaya removed travel rules for the Klang Valley in early December only to reimpose harsh 10km travel limits within district and state border by Jan 13.
Meanwhile, the DOSM reported that the number of persons working less than 30 hours a day increased in Q4 2020 to 3.5 percent or 533,700 persons, up from 2.7 percent or 403,800 persons during the preceding quarter.
The department said working less than 30 hours a week was indicative of less optimum work conditions or insufficient work.
Labour force participation rate (68.4 percent) was down 0.3 percent compared to 2019.
In absolute terms, the number of people who are outside the labour force (people who choose not to seek employment) had increased by an estimated 9.33 percent or 660,000 persons from the year before.
The number of employed persons rose 0.8 percent or an estimated 120,000 persons in Q4 2020, up from 15.1 million in the preceding quarter.
However, the DOSM said that own-account workers (self-employed) had continued to slide.
This category of workers comprised 15.8 percent of employed workers, down from 16.8 percent in Q3 2020. - Mkini
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