The statistics department (DoSM), in a statement today, said the number of unemployed had continued to record a downward trend for 14 consecutive months to 605,000 people in September, compared to 612,000 the previous month.

The unemployment rate dropped to 3.7% to 611,800 people in the third quarter of 2022, which is the lowest since the Covid-19 pandemic in the second quarter of 2020.

The number of active unemployed recorded a drop of 2.1% to 496,600 people in September compared to 507,300 people in August.

According to DoSM, the labour force in the country rose by 0.2% to 16.66 million people in September compared to 16.63 million the previous month, with the labour force participation rate remaining at 69.7%.