Malaysia Pulse delivers breaking news, politics, business, sports and lifestyle coverage from Malaysia and Southeast Asia — trusted, timely and independent.
Malaysia's Human Resources Ministry is pursuing cabinet approval to transform RM100 million in Skills Development Fund Corporation financing from loans into grants, aiming to reduce financial burdens on vocational training graduates.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has instructed the Human Resources Ministry to prioritize the processing of 15,000 foreign worker applications to address critical manpower deficits in key economic sectors.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has instructed the Ministry of Human Resources to fast-track processing of 15,000 foreign worker applications, signalling heightened focus on addressing labour shortages across key sectors.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has ordered relevant ministries to resolve pending foreign worker applications within a month, prioritising the restaurant sector. The Federation of Malaysian Business Associations praised the move as evidence of government responsiveness to industry concerns.
Malaysia's Health Ministry aims to complete its workplace mental health policy by October following consultations with employers, unions, and government agencies on creating safer working environments.
Indonesia is confronting a significant employment crisis as layoffs accelerate across manufacturing sectors. The government has established a task force and outlined support measures, but policymakers remain divided on balancing immediate relief with longer-term structural reforms needed to sustain job creation.
Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri R. Ramanan has reiterated that Malaysian workers must receive first consideration for job vacancies, with foreign labour recruitment permitted only when local candidates are unavailable.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has instructed government agencies to process foreign worker applications for restaurants and other priority sectors within 30 days, signalling urgency in addressing labour shortages.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has ordered relevant ministries to resolve pending foreign worker applications within one month, with the restaurant sector identified as a priority area facing critical staffing challenges.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has ordered government agencies to resolve foreign worker recruitment problems within 30 days, with particular focus on restaurants facing acute labour gaps while maintaining controlled immigration levels.
Malaysia's Immigration Department has ramped up enforcement operations to combat rising abuse of Social Visit Passes by foreign workers. Arrests for SVP-related offences have more than doubled from 1,279 in 2023 to 2,644 in 2024.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has reaffirmed the government's commitment to prioritising employment for Malaysian citizens while carefully assessing the genuine need for foreign workers in key sectors through established regulatory frameworks.
A Ministry of Human Resources study across three Malaysian regions reveals flexible work arrangements significantly enhance employee productivity and employer efficiency, prompting expanded government incentives.
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Malaysia has made contributions to PERKESO's LINDUNG 24 Jam non-employment injury scheme voluntary for local workers while maintaining the requirement for foreign workers, following public feedback.
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Malaysia's Cabinet has maintained the mandatory retirement age for civil servants at 60, rejecting proposals for an increase. The government also made contributions to Perkeso's non-employment injury scheme voluntary.