In a statement, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said the council comprised relevant ministers, including International Trade and Industry Minister Mohamed Azmin Ali, Human Resources Minister M Saravanan and Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Economic Affairs) Mustapa Mohamed.

The NEC is set to meet “as often as necessary according to current needs”.

PMO said that the council would also involve representatives from the private sector, who will be named later.

The NEC will also be supported by five “special task forces”, to be chaired by the chief secretary to the government.

These task forces will focus on national education, technical and vocational education and training, human resources and entrepreneurship, real economy, as well as deep tech and future skills.

The finance ministry’s Economic Stimulus Implementation and Coordination Unit between National Agencies will be the council’s secretariat to monitor the implementation of each programme.

“The NEC plays an important role, not only in maintaining the momentum of economic recovery and enhancing job creation, but also in addressing other related issues such as underemployment in relevant sectors and equal employment opportunities.

“With the establishment of the NEC, the prime minister is confident that the job creation initiatives set to begin in 2021 will be more organised and implemented in a comprehensive, integrated and effective manner,” the PMO said.

It added that the NEC’s efforts would be guided by the National Job Creation Strategic Plan to further develop the nation and ensure the well-being of the people.

It urged Malaysians to register with the MyFutureJobs portal, which will help them find job opportunities and alert them on any training and upskilling programmes.