Labour market reform among Malaysia’s top priorities

For the remaining period of the 11th Malaysia Plan (11MP) the Malaysian government will be focusing on labour market reformation and human capital development.

The country has struggled with poor employment and sluggish wage growth, which are thought to be partly the result of job mismatches.

Per the Mid-Term Review of the 11MP, the government’s top priorities include improving labour efficiency and productivity, enhancing access to quality education and training, and fostering stronger industry-academia ties.

For each, the government has a range of action plans – for instance, strengthening worker rights, encouraging female participation in the workforce, improving quality of education, and enhancing vocational training.