KUALA LUMPUR, March 18 — The highest number of retrenchments within a five-year span was recorded last year, according to the Human Resources Ministry, with 38,499 layoffs across all sectors.
In a written reply to Tan Kok Wai (DAP-Cheras), the ministry said the manufacturing sector had the highest number of retrenchments over the last three years.
The highest number of retrenchments was recorded in 2007 (42,336), 2008 (47,145) and 2009 (64,516).
It said retrenchments could be categorised into ordinary layoffs and through the voluntary separation scheme (VSS).
Workers who are laid off will be paid according to the Employment Act 1955 or their collective agreement, the statement said.
Tan had asked the ministry to provide a breakdown of the number of workers retrenched by the various sectors in the last three years, following the economic downturn and oversupply of workers and its strategies to amend the nation’s human resources policy.
In January this year, 5,009 workers were retrenched compared to November (9,986) and December (5,758) last year.
The reduction in the number of layoffs shows the economy is getting stronger compared to the previous year although the current impact of the economic downturn is in its early stages, it added.
“Employees are also encouraged to register as job seekers through the JobsMalaysia portal and they will be given priority in the ministry’s job placement programme.”
The ministry has also set up retraining programmes and established an outplacement centre to help the retrenched.
A national-level retrenchment monitoring operations centre was also set up to get feedback from employers.
