KUALA LUMPUR, May 26 ― The unemployment rate in the country for March 2014 was at 3.0 per cent, comparatively lower from 3.3 per cent in March last year, the Statistics Department said.

When compared with the previous month, the rate was down 0.2 percentage point from 3.2 per cent in February 2014.

In a statement here today, the department also said the labour force participation rate decreased in March 2014 to 66.9 per cent from 67.4 per cent in the previous month.

“A reduction of 0.5 percentage point was the impact of the decline of the population in the labour market by 0.3 per cent (43,800 persons).

“Year-on-year comparison showed that the labour force participation rate was 1.4 percentage point higher than 65.5 per cent in March 2013,” it added. ― Bernama