Kuala lumpur: Homegrown job-matching platform MYFutureJobs has been recognised as a model digital employment platform among the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) member countries. Speaking at the OIC Workshop on Empowering Job Seekers: Digital Platform Best Practices, Human Resources Minister Steven Sim Chee Keong highlighted the platform’s impressive job placement rate of 60 to 70 per cent annually since its launch in 2020.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the platform offers between 1.5 million and two million job listings each year, registering about 500,000 jobseekers. From January to May this year, MYFutureJobs recorded 111,459 registered jobseekers, over 633,000 advertised vacancies, and more than 74,000 individuals placed into employment. Minister Sim emphasized that these statistics underscore the platform’s role as a public employment services provider and its capacity to generate valuable insights into labour market trends.
Sim also clarified that the 30 per cent of registered users who did not secure employment should not be deemed unsuccessful, as many use the platform to explore opportunities rather than actively seeking jobs. MYFutureJobs, powered by artificial intelligence (AI) and real-time data, has improved job placements by efficiently matching jobseekers with employers and helping to bridge skills gaps.
With various initiatives by the ministry and the MADANI government, Malaysia’s unemployment rate has dropped to a 10-year low of 3.1 per cent, while underemployment has improved by 34.3 per cent. However, Sim cautioned that while AI fosters growth and productivity, it also carries risks, such as enhancing the efficiency of criminal activities and disrupting labour markets. He reiterated a previous report that approximately 600,000 jobs could be impacted by AI in the coming years, though new jobs might also emerge.
Sim witnessed the signing of two memorandums of understanding between Perkeso and the State Employment Agency of Azerbaijan and the Turkish Employment Agency, ISKUR, after officiating the workshop. In his opening remarks, Perkeso chairman Datuk Seri Subahan Kamal stressed the urgent need to combat job scams that exploit jobseekers and erode public trust in digital employment platforms. He advocated for a coordinated approach involving cybersecurity measures, public awareness campaigns, and enforcement to tackle such fraudulent practices.
Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries director-general Zehra Zumrut Selcuk noted that OIC countries have a significant labour force presence, with a population exceeding two billion. She highlighted that their share in the global labour force has increased from 19 to 21 per cent over the past decade.