by FAYYADH JAAFAR / pic by TMR FILE

THE newly launched JaminKerja is a group of programmes to help the Malaysian workforce cope with the pandemic.

Launched by Prime Minister (PM) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob (picture) on Saturday, it includes the Wage Subsidy Programme, the Employment Incentive Programme and the National Employment Portal, which helps people find jobs.

JaminKerja is a joint effort by the Finance Ministry and its agency, the National Economic Implementation and Strategic Coordination Agency, as well as the Human Resources Ministry and its agencies, the Social Security Organisation (Socso) and the Human Resource Development Corp.

The goal of the JaminKerja project is to create 600,000 jobs.

Through Socso, people could find jobs in the public sector, government-owned companies (GLCs), and strategic partners via the Training and Short-Term Placement Initiative, or Malaysia Short-Term Employment Programme.

The Employment Incentive is aimed at encouraging businesses to hire workers, especially among the unemployed, the disabled, ex-convicts, the elderly and women who have been unemployed for a long time.

This is to ensure no group is left behind. Incentives are also given to employers who hire local workers to fill positions that are usually filled by foreign workers or expatriates.

For the first 12 months, between 20% and 40% of an employee’s gross salary of RM10,000 will be paid by the government.

Ismail Sabri said the Malaysian Family JaminKerja Career Carnival is the curtain opener for 2022 and the first to be organised nationwide, offering over 12,000 job opportunities from 50 employers across various industries.

“The Malaysian Family Work Guarantee Initiative is a manifestation of the government’s commitment to providing more comprehensive employment opportunities, producing more sustainable economic development, driving the country’s recovery efforts in a structured manner, and contributing towards strengthening the country’s labour market.

“As the chairman of the National Employment Council (NEC), I am confident that the NEC’s efforts to increase the momentum of job creation and boost the job market in general will be continued through this initiative, which in turn will strengthen the income of Malaysian households, especially the asnaf group, bottom 40% income group and middle 40% income group,” he said at the opening ceremony, which was also the first in a series of carnivals that will be held in various states throughout the year.

The PM also called on employers, including government agencies, GLCs and the private sector, to take advantage of the opportunities and incentives provided under the initiative, as it will be of great benefit to employers and job seekers.