Kuala lumpur: The Ministry of Human Resources (KESUMA) will launch a series of comprehensive support initiatives to address the impact of the global supply crisis on the labour market, in conjunction with the May 1 Labour Day celebration, said Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri R. Ramanan. He said the proactive measures were taken following a worrying trend in the national labour market which saw 5,900 Malaysians laid off last month, with workers in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur being the worst affected.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the initiative aimed to increase the marketability of job seekers through more dynamic interventions, including improvements to the Employment Insurance System Act 2017 (Act 800) to address the impact of global economic uncertainty stemming from the current geopolitical tensions. These improvements are expected to provide more comprehensive benefits to workers, including social protection and easier access to reskilling and upskilling programmes.
Ramanan emphasized that this effort is a critical step by the ministry to accelerate the process of redeploying workers to more stable employment sectors, thus reducing pressure on the national labour market. He shared these insights in a statement during a visit to the MYFutureJobs Premium Career Carnival 2026 at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC).
In addition, KESUMA plans to organize a series of tours to universities nationwide to reach out to prospective graduates. This initiative aims to understand their challenges and provide dialogue, career guidance, and job matching to ensure local talent remains relevant and resilient in a challenging economy.
During the event, Ramanan highlighted that MYFutureJobs this year aims to assist over 200,000 job seekers in finding employment. More than 10,000 job opportunities with salary offers ranging from RM3,000 to RM16,000 are available at the MYFutureJobs Premium Career Carnival. The manufacturing and services sectors are among those offering the most opportunities.
In a related development, Deputy Human Resources Minister Datuk Khairul Firdaus Akbar Khan announced that 10,000 more job opportunities will be made available during the LINDUNG Career Carnival in Kota Kinabalu on May 9 and 10. He noted that over 52 companies have agreed to participate in the career carnival, with the hope that the ministry's carefully planned initiatives can be effectively implemented at the state level, ensuring that all job seekers have the opportunity to secure employment.
The event was also attended by Social Security Organisation (SOCSO) chief executive officer Datuk Seri Dr Mohammed Azman Aziz Mohammed.