Malaysia’s jobless rate stays at decade-low, official July data show
By theedgemalaysia.com
10 Sep 2025, 04:14 pm

KUALA LUMPUR (Sept 10): Malaysia’s jobless rate remained at decade-low level in July, as the number of employed persons rose amid an expanding labour force, official data showed.

Unemployment rate in July was 3.0%, the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) said in a statement on Wednesday. Economists generally consider a 3% unemployment rate as the economy having full employment.

“The labour market sustained its positive trajectory, underpinned by continued improvements in domestic economics despite global economic uncertainty,” said chief statistician Datuk Seri Mohd Uzir Mahidin.

Malaysia’s labour market is expected to remain stable with positive “prospects in the coming months,” he said. Despite external challenges, strong domestic fundamentals, investments, and government policies will continue supporting employment growth, he added.

During the month, the number of unemployed persons rose 0.6% to 521,600 persons. The labour force, meanwhile, expanded 0.2% month-on-month to 17.47 million persons. Labour force participation rate, the proportion of employed persons within the entire working population, was steady at 70.8%.

The employee category, comprising the large majority of the workforce, was a tad higher at 12.71 million persons. Own-account workers — people who operate their own farm or business, or engage in full-time trade without hiring paid employees — gained 0.4% to 3.21 million persons.

By economic sectors, most of the employed persons were concentrated in the services sector, with DOSM noting “favourable momentum” particularly in wholesale-and-retail trade; accommodation, and food-and-beverage services, as well as information and communication activities.

The manufacturing, construction, agriculture, and mining and quarrying sectors also saw an increase in employment.

In terms of age groups, unemployment for youths — those between 15 and 24 years old and just entering the labour market following education — was little changed at 10.2%, or about 297,500 people.

Source: https://theedgemalaysia.com/node/769951

https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/202...aby-bust/176836

"Terengganu has the highest fertility rate at 2.9, followed by Kelantan at 2.7, and Pahang at 2.1."

2.9 and 2.9 fertility rate is not "sky high", albeit I suppose it is if one's baseline is a fertility rate of 0.8

There are also Japanese families with 13 kids; this doesn't mean they don't have population decline problems












Seeing 1, 2, 10, families with 13 kids doesn't counterbalance the wider macro trend

People who are under 18 tend to not be in the labour force. There is no point counting people who are in kindergarten as "unemployed"

People who are retired

People who are not in the workforce: housewife, caring for elderly family members, etc

1.9 million out of a population of 6 million is about 30% of the population

7.2 million out of a population of 34 milion is about 21% of the population

Similar ratios

Not just on sabbatical

There are people who are full time housewives (especially in states like Kelantan and Terengganu), raising the 13 kids that /k believes they pop out

There are people who can't work

I know 2 people who live off their parents pencen while taking care of them with long term medical conditions. It is not a luxurious life, but doable when the house is paid off

2 million sounds like a large number, but that is about 6% of the population

Maximum rate of MySARA is RM2100/year. And that is only for "isi rumah" (read: married couples with kid(s))

If they can live on RM2100/year with at least 3 mouths to feed, more power to them.

Labour force participation rate among Malay women is around the 55% mark:
https://doi.org/10.1080/23311983.2023.2259663
http://www.statistics.gov.my/uploads/conte...41218122140.pdf

Yes there are a lot of women (who make up half the population) who are not in the workforce, despite being in the 15-64 age range

This post has been edited by haya: Sep 12 2025, 07:03 AM