Human resources minister V Sivakumar was confident that it could be achieved in the coming year.

“The target reduction to 3% next year is something positive in the economic context, and the rate is considered as reaching full employment,” he said after the closing ceremony of the Madani government’s one-year anniversary programme at the Bukit Jalil National Stadium here today.

Sivakumar said his ministry was continuing efforts to reduce the unemployment rate among youths and graduates in terms of job placement in the professional sector.

He said the ministry, together with the Social Security Organisation (Socso), through MyFutureJobs, would plan the best mechanisms to provide better job opportunities for these groups in the future.

Sivakumar said the ministry would also focus on formulating policies related to gig economy workers, including food delivery, p-hailing and e-hailing services.

Guidelines are needed before establishing specific Acts to protect their interests, especially in terms of income and social security, he added.

Sivakumar said the lack of specific laws or Acts to ensure the welfare of over 1.1 million participants in the gig economy had left this group without full protection.

Meanwhile, local government development minister Nga Kor Ming, when asked about the grievances of young people on the difficulty of obtaining affordable homes in the capital, said the matter needed greater scrutiny as the government was committed to ensuring every family can afford their own home.

He said those efforts would continue to be intensified.

So far, almost 260,000 units of affordable homes have been constructed and completed under the 12th Malaysia Plan, Nga said.