Malaysia to create 70,000 new jobs for select groups

Malaysia is aiming to create over 70,000 job opportunities for targeted groups, which include the disabled, women coming back into the workforce after a career break, former convicts, military retirees, indigenous people and workers in the tourism sector.

The government has allocated RM150 million (US$32 million) for the project, under the nation’s 2023 Budget’s Hiring Incentives Programme. Employers who recruit from these targeted groups will receive between RM600 (US$128) and RM750 (US$160) per month for three months.

It will also create a new category to place elderly workers in Government-Linked Companies.

“The employment incentive is also given to employers and private employment agencies that replace foreign with local workers through the Malaysianisation Programme,” said Datuk Seri Dr Mohammed Azman Aziz Mohammed, CEO of the Social Security Organisation (Socso)

Workers who have successfully secured jobs can also apply for mobility assistance. Those who secure jobs outside their state of residence can receive RM500 (US$107), while RM1,000 (US$214) will be given to those who need to make a long-distance move from Sabah or Sarawak to the Peninsula or vice versa.

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Under the nation’s 2023 Budget, RM80 million (US$17.1 million) will be allocated to provide workers with health screening. Female workers will be able to undergo screenings like mammograms and pap smears to detect breast and cervical cancer, respectively.