Overview

LABOUR FORCE IN MALAYSIA

Labour force participation rate 68.7 per cent and unemployment rate 3.3 per cent

Labour force in Malaysia increased 2.2 per cent as compared to the first quarter of 2018 to 15.53 million persons. The employed persons also recorded an increase of 2.2 per cent in the same period to 15.01 million persons.

Quarter on quarter comparison showed that both labour force and employed persons increased 0.5 per cent as compared to the previous quarter. Labour force participation rate (LFPR) in this quarter rose 0.1 percentage points as compared to the fourth quarter of 2018 to 68.7 per cent. Hence, another 31.3 per cent of the working age population were outside the labour force.

The unemployment rate in this quarter remained at 3.3 per cent as compared to the fourth quarter of 2018. The number of unemployed persons recorded a total of 516.6 thousand persons, increased 1.5 per cent as compared to the same quarter of previous year. [Chart 2]

Female LFPR increased 0.1 percentage point to 55.7 per cent

Female LFPR in the first quarter of 2019 was 55.7 per cent, rose 0.1 percentage points as compared to the previous quarter. Female LFPR in the labour market for prime age[1] 25-34 years (75.6%), 35-44 years (67.7%) and 45-54 years (57.4%) were higher as compared to the female LFPR at the national level.

Male LFPR also increased by 0.2 percentage points to 80.9 per cent in the first quarter 2019. Overall, male LFPR remained consistently higher than female for all age groups.The age group that recorded more than 90 per cent of LFPR were 25-34 years (96.6%),35-44 years (97.8%) and 45-54 years (95.0%) [Chart 3].

[1]  International Labour Organization (ILO) defines prime age as population aged 25–54 years.

Female represented 39 per cent of the labour force

In the first quarter of 2019, the labour force was represented by 61.0 per cent males (9.47 million) and 39.0 per cent females (6.06 million). The number of labour force for both males and females increased by 50,700 persons and 26,200 persons respectively as compared to the fourth quarter of 2018.

The detailed information and technical notes are published in the Labour Force Survey Report, Malaysia, First Quarter 2019. This report is accessible and downloadable free of charge through the eStatistik application in DOSM web page, www.dosm.gov.my.

Note:

[1]  International Labour Organization (ILO) defines prime age as population aged 25–54 years.

Released By:

DATO' SRI DR. MOHD UZIR MAHIDIN
CHIEF STATISTICIAN MALAYSIA
DEPARTMENT OF STATISTICS, MALAYSIA
10 May 2019

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