M. Kula Segaran – Bernama file photo
KUALA LUMPUR: Based on the annual quarterly data from the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM), a total of 243,000 new jobs were created between May last year until March this year, Human Resource Minister M. Kula Segaran said today.
He said manpower workforce in the first quarter of 2019 totaled 15,010,200 compared to the 14,767,200 during the second quarter of 2018.
“The DOSM has not released the latest data on salaries. However, the existing data for the second quarter of 2019 for salaries in 2017 showed that the average salary based on skills was RM4,574 (a month) for skilled labour, RM1,947 for semi-skilled labour and RM1,531 for low-skilled work.
“During the 11th Malaysia Plan, 15,347,500 people are expected to be employed in 2020, an increase of 580,300 since the Pakatan Harapan (PH) government took over,” he said at the Dewan Rakyat sitting here today.
Kula Segaran was replying to a question from Khairy Jamaluddin (BN-Rembau) who wanted to know the number of jobs with a minimum monthly salary of RM2,500 which were created last year, and the measures taken to ensure one million jobs with a monthly salary of RM2,500 would be created in five years.
Kula Segaran said the data showed that the government was able of creating 200,000 jobs a year and is expected to create one million jobs in five years.
“To ensure that one million jobs with a monthly salary of RM2,500 are created in five years, the government will attract more foreign direct investment or domestic direct investment which will contribute to creating high-value jobs and knowledge workers (k-workers), although the nation has to be selective in attracting the investment, rejecting labour-intensive and low-salaried investments. – Bernama