Overview

• The labour force continued to post an increase in the second quarter of 2023, with a rise of 0.5 per cent or 78.6 thousand persons to register 16.73 million persons (Q1 2023: 16.65 million persons). A higher labour force participation rate (LFPR) was recorded during the quarter at 70.0 per cent,  rose by 0.2 percentage points from 69.8 per cent in the preceding quarter.

• The number of employed persons remained on a positive trend in the second quarter of 2023, with an increase of 0.5 per cent (+84.1 thousand persons) to post a total of 16.15 million persons (Q1 2023: 16.06 million persons). As for the year-on-year comparison, the number of employed persons rose by 2.8 per cent or 444.9 thousand persons as compared to the second quarter last year (Q2 2022: 15.70 million persons).
  

• The number of unemployed persons continued to decline to 581.4 thousand person, with a reduction of 0.9 per cent in the second quarter of 2023 (Q1 2023: 586.9 thousand persons). Meanwhile, the unemployment rate during the quarter remained at 3.5 per cent as compared to previous quarter. On a year-on-year comparison, the unemployment rate also reduced by 0.4 percentage points with a reduction of 60.7 thousand unemployed persons as compared to the same quarter of the preceding year (Q2 2022: 3.9%; 642.0 thousand persons).   
  

• At the national level, the labour force participation rate increased to 70.0 per cent in the second quarter of 2023. Ten states recorded increases in the LFPR, indicating improved labour participation in the market. The highest LFPR was recorded by Selangor with 77.1 per cent, followed by W.P. Putrajaya (76.8%), W.P. Kuala Lumpur (73.1%), Pulau Pinang (71.7%) and Sabah (70.8%).
  

• In terms of the unemployment rate by state, eight of the states posted a reduction in the unemployment rate, while six states showed an increasing trend. The lowest unemployment rate during this quarter was recorded by W.P. Putrajaya with 0.5 per cent, followed by Pulau Pinang (2.1%), Perlis (2.2%) and Negeri Sembilan (2.3%).
  

The full publication of the Labour Force Survey Report, Second Quarter 2023 can be downloaded through eStatistic Portal.

Released by:

DEPARTMENT OF STATISTICS MALAYSIA

10 August 2023

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Baharudin Mohamad

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