Malaysia 2020 Unemployment Level Rose 83% – ASEAN Statistics

According to the ninth edition of the 2021 Asean statistical yearbook, Malaysia’s unemployment numbers were 711,000 in 2020, compared to 508,200 the year before, which showed a 40% increase

Unemployment levels in the country rose by 83% in 2020 compared to 2011, with the largest uptick recorded during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, the 2021 Asean statistical yearbook showed.

According to the ninth edition of the yearbook, Malaysia’s unemployment numbers were 711,000 in 2020, compared to 508,200 the year before, a 40% increase. In addition, women formed a large majority of those above 15 who were without a job at 4.7% the same year, while men recorded lower numbers at 4.4%.

Youth aged 15 to 24 also recorded joblessness rates, expressed by values in terms of gender at 11.4% for males, and 13% for females.

The statistics also showed Malaysia’s unemployment numbers were 389,200 in 2011 but steadily grew to the 500,000s in 2016.

Regionally, Malaysia is the fourth largest in joblessness in 2020 at 711,000, behind Indonesia at 9.7 million, the Philippines (4.5 million) and Vietnam (1.23 million). Thailand stood at 651,000, while Singapore recorded 96,400 (locals only) and Brunei 17,400.

The net enrollment ratio in primary schools also saw Malaysia recording 96.8% in 2019, placing it on the lower rung of the index together with the Philippines at 94% and Cambodia at 91%.

Neighbouring Indonesia recorded higher numbers at 97.6%, Myanmar (97%), Vietnam (98%), Laos (98.9%) and the highest, Thailand at 99.9%. There was no data for Singapore and Brunei that year.

The highest adult literacy rate went to Singapore at 97.5% in 2019, followed by Brunei (97.2%), the Philippines (96.3%) Indonesia (95.9%), Vietnam (95.8%), Malaysia (95%) and Cambodia, 81.9%.