MyFutureJobs portal currently lists 600,168 job vacancies compared with 188,062 jobseekers, including those who have been retrenched.
PETALING JAYA: Business closures and company downsizing accounted for 17,485 cases, or 40.85% of job loss reports nationwide since January this year, Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri R. Ramanan told the Dewan Rakyat.
He said a total of 42,807 workers had lost their jobs during the period, but stressed that the figures should be viewed alongside the strong number of available vacancies in the labour market.
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Ramanan said the MyFutureJobs portal currently lists 600,168 job vacancies compared with 188,062 jobseekers, including those who have been retrenched.
Of those who lost their jobs, he said 13,999 workers, about 33%, had successfully secured employment through the portal.
“This does not mean jobs are disappearing. It complements the number of vacancies that we have discussed,” he said.
He was responding to Datuk Azman Nasrudin (PN–Padang Serai), who asked about company closures and downsizing in the Klang Valley and whether automation and artificial intelligence (AI) were contributing to recent retrenchments.
Ramanan said the government views AI as a catalyst for improving job quality and creating new high-skilled employment opportunities, rather than as a major driver of mass job displacement.
“The government is confident that AI is a catalyst for improving the quality of existing jobs and creating new high-skilled jobs,” he said.
He added that the ministry has adopted a proactive approach to ensure the transition towards digitalisation and AI is managed fairly and does not adversely affect workers.
Reskilling and upskilling programmes are being implemented through agencies under the ministry, including HRD Corp and the Department of Skills Development.
Ramanan said HRD Corp has allocated RM710 million under the PACE programme, while RM110 million has been set aside for 22,000 training places under the Jelajah AI Mahir initiative.
He said these initiatives aim to equip workers with relevant skills to fill gaps in emerging industries, particularly in AI-related fields.
“There is no guarantee they will get the job, but when they have skills, especially in AI, they can fill the gap,” he said.
He added that such measures are part of the government’s broader strategy to ensure Malaysia’s workforce remains competitive amid rapid digital transformation.
