UNEMPLOYMENT RATE IN SABAH INCREASES - MASIDI
1 Feb 2021
By Wartawan Nabalu News
KOTA KINABALU: The Covid-19 pandemic and the implementation of the Movement Control Order (MCO) have affected the unemployment rate in Sabah.
Minister of Local Government and Housing Datuk Masidi Manjun said the implementation of MCO has impacted and affected many business companies involving various economic sectors in the state, forcing several companies to close shop.
He said certain companies could not cover the cost of operating expenses including the payment of employee salaries, where retrenchments then tooko place.
"This is reflected in the increase of unemployment rate in Sabah in the first quarter of 2020 alone which is 3.9 per cent compared to 3.3 per cent in 2019 (Labor Statistics Report, 2020)," he said at a press conference, here, today.
Masidi said the Department of Statistics Malaysia had projected that the unemployment rate in Malaysia, including in Sabah, would increase this year due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
"Nevertheless, the Government is optimistic to ensure efforts in minimising the impact of the pandemic on key sectors in the state, especially the employment sector.
"This includes re-stimulating the key economic sectors of the state covering the services, agriculture, manufacturing and construction sectors which are directly expected to reduce the unemployment rate in Sabah in the future, especially due to the Covid-19 pandemic," he said.
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