Deputy human resources minister Abdul Rahman Mohamad said the second most affected sector was wholesale and retail trade with 43,614 job losses, followed by those involved in professional, scientific and technical services (23,907), and information and communication technology (19,931).

The accommodation, food and beverage sector saw 23,124 job losses, followed by construction (21,233) and transportation (20,953). Other sectors accounted for 65,262 job losses.

Rahman added that data from the Social Security Organisation revealed that 575,044 active job seekers were registered on the MYFutureJobs portal from Jan 1 till Sept 27 this year, compared to just 125,956 job vacancies available.

Addressing the issue of underemployment, particularly among fresh graduates and local workers, he said various programmes have been introduced, including training under the employment insurance system.

“Additionally, there are schemes such as the Future Worker Training programme, Industry 4.0-focused courses, strategic partnerships, and financing by the Skill Development Fund Corporation for training,” he said.

He was responding to a question by Oscar Ling (PH-Sibu), who asked the human resources ministry about skill training programmes aimed at enhancing the employability of graduates and local workers in the technology and Industry 4.0 sectors.

Rahman said the government was committed to ensuring graduates and local workers were equipped to meet future economic challenges with the necessary skills.

“This is especially true in the rapidly growing sectors of technology and Industry 4.0, including automation and artificial intelligence,” he added.