Unemployment rate hits 10-year low at 3% in April
Published on: Wed, Jun 11, 2025
By: FMT Reporters Text Size: Chief statistician Uzir Mahidin said the labour force is expected to remain optimistic and expand in the coming months, bolstered by strong economic policies and stable domestic demand. (Bernama pic) PETALING JAYA: Malaysia's unemployment rate dropped from 3.1% in March to 3% in April, the lowest in 10 years, according to a report released by the statistics department today. Chief statistician Uzir Mahidin said the number of unemployed people decreased by 0.7% to 525,900 in April 2025, compared with 529,600 in March.
Advertisement 'A promising national economic position has contributed to stable progress in Malaysia's labour force, with an increase in the number of employed people and higher labour force participation rates, while unemployment continues to decrease,' Bernama reported him as saying. Uzir said labour force numbers continued their upward trend in April, increasing by 0.2% to 17.34 million people compared with 17.31 million in March. 'Consequently, the labour force participation rate rose by 0.1 percentage points to 70.8% compared with 70.7% in March,' he said. In terms of the economic sector, Uzir said the services sector remains a key driver of employment growth, particularly in wholesale and retail trade, accommodation, food and beverage services, as well as transport and storage activities. He said positive trends were also recorded across the manufacturing, construction, agriculture and mining and quarrying sectors. Uzir said the unemployment rate for youths aged 15 to 24 years remained unchanged at 10.3% in April 2025, with 298.3 thousand unemployed youths. He said the number of people outside the labour force rose to 7.17 million in April compared with 7.16 million the previous month, mainly due to housework and family responsibilities, which accounted for 43.7%, followed by schooling and training reasons at 41.1%. He said the country's labour force was expected to remain optimistic and expand in the coming months, bolstered by strong economic policies and stable domestic demand. 'Despite global geopolitical tensions, Malaysia's labour force is expected to remain resilient due to stable unemployment, the growing services sector, and technology, as well as an increasing investment in digitalisation and automation,' he said. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available.
Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Barnama
5 hours ago
- Barnama
TNB Evaluating Legal Options After Receiving RM840 Mln Tax Notice
TNB Evaluating Legal Options After Receiving RM840 Mln Tax Notice KUALA LUMPUR, July 25 (Bernama) -- Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB) has received a Notice of Additional Assessment for the Year of Assessment (YA) 2022 amounting to RM840.12 million, dated July 24, 2025, from the Inland Revenue Board. In a filing with Bursa Malaysia today, TNB said that in light of the Federal Court's decision relating to a similar Notice of Additional Assessment issued for YA 2018, it is currently evaluating its available legal options to address the matter. "This evaluation takes into consideration that TNB has already submitted an application for Investment Allowance under Schedule 7B of the Income Tax Act 1967 (including those for YA 2022) to the Minister of Finance," it added. -- BERNAMA
Barnama
7 hours ago
- Barnama
Gov't Committed To Expanding 5G Coverage To Rural Areas
GENERAL ALOR SETAR, July 25 (Bernama) – Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has reaffirmed the government's commitment to expanding 5G coverage to rural areas, as part of efforts to ensure local leaders are empowered to use social media for communication with residents. Ahmad Zahid, who is also Minister of Rural and Regional Development, said his ministry will work alongside the Ministry of Digital and the Ministry of Communications to realise the effort. '... 5G coverage must not be limited to densely populated areas, but extended to KEDA (Kedah Regional Development Authority) zones, FELCRA settlements and other villages. the Ministry of Rural and Regional Development (KKDW), in collaboration with the Digital Ministry and the Communications Ministry, is determined to bring 5G to rural areas,' he said. He was speaking at the opening of the 2025 KEDA Rural Youth and Programme Implementation Planning Committee (4P) Convention here tonight. Also present was KEDA Chairman Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid. Ahmad Zahid added that rural leaders must embrace and be proficient in technology, especially in using social media as a tool to connect and engage with their communities. He also urged them to enhance their leadership knowledge in today's modern era by balancing traditional and contemporary telecommunications systems. He noted that grassroots leaders should engage directly with the people instead of relying solely on reports, stressing that true leadership requires integrity. 'A leader without integrity is like a house without pillars — it will collapse when tested,' he said. Meanwhile, he announced that RM40.7 million has been allocated to KEDA this year to benefit targeted groups, including rural youth throughout Kedah.
Barnama
8 hours ago
- Barnama
Citadel Trustee, Chester Group Tie Up To Transform Malaysia's Real Estate Management
BUSINESS KUALA LUMPUR, July 25 (Bernama) -- Citadel Trustee Bhd and Chester Group are set to introduce a pioneering real estate management platform to deliver robust growth, capital preservation, and multi-generational wealth planning, following a strategic partnership that was inked today. In a joint statement, both parties said that the platform uniquely combines diversified asset deployment with sophisticated risk assessment to meet the evolving needs of discerning clients in Malaysia's dynamic property market. According to the statement, the new product stands out by integrating equity stakes in undervalued real estate, development projects, select equities, and income-generating assets within an advanced asset protection framework. 'It is designed to deliver stable annual returns of 10 per cent to 12 per cent, with regular quarterly payouts, while safeguarding against legal and financial risks. 'Tailored legacy planning solutions are also available for high-net-worth participants, ensuring a smooth transfer of wealth across generations. We aim to grow our portfolio to RM500 million by 2026,' the statement read. Both companies said that the platform enters the market at a time of significant transformation within Malaysia's property landscape. They said that with economic growth gaining momentum in late 2024 and government efforts enhancing infrastructure and connectivity, demand is rising for suburban and transit-oriented developments. Homebuyers are increasingly drawn to affordability, space, and quality, particularly in emerging townships, boosted by supportive financing and housing incentives, they said. 'In this evolving environment, there is growing interest in solutions that offer a more structured and adaptable approach to real estate.
