Hajiji presenting aid to one of the Socso benefits scheme recipients after launching the state-level Mega Madani Career Carnival MyFutureJobs Perkeso 2024.
KOTA KINABALU (Oct 12): Job seekers and employers will be able to find each other easier after the merger of Sabah Jobs Portal (SJP) and MyFutureJobs (MFJ).
Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor said that the merger of the two key job search platforms would provide a more efficient job search service to the people of Sabah.
It will make it easier for job seekers to get the latest information and help employers find the right talent.
SJP is managed by the Human Resource Development Department (JPSM) and MFJ is introduced by the Social Security Organisation (Socso).
“We hope this happens quickly so job seekers can get up-to-date information, and employers can find the right talent,” Hajiji said at the launch of the state-level Mega Madani Career Carnival MyFutureJobs Perkeso 2024 at the Sabah International Convention Centre (SICC) here on Saturday.
He added that this move should help lower Sabah’s unemployment rate further.
More than 2,745 job opportunities from 40 employers of various sectors are offered to jobseekers during the carnival from October 12 to 13.
Hajiji said with the theme of “Nobody Sidelined”, the organisation of the carnival this time clearly reflects the Federal Government’s commitment in ensuring Sabahans get fair opportunities in the employment sector, which is in line with the desire of Sabah Maju Jaya and Malaysia Madani to defend the well-being of all groups regardless of religion, race and culture.
He commended this year’s application of gamification elements in interviews such as points collection, competitions and rewards, as they encourage engagement and interaction with job seekers while helping employers obtain more accurate candidates, thus allowing the former to get to know the level of their abilities or suitability for the applied positions through the said elements.
The Chief Minister said the carnival is the right step in their efforts to empower the country’s labour market, further contributing to the eradication of poverty and the reduction of the income gap while creating an efficient labor market ecosystem, adding that he hoped the programme can be expanded to other cities and small towns in Sabah to benefit more people in the state.
“I would like to share that as of September 27 this year, Sabah has successfully recorded 7,448 job placements. This number is not small, and it is a very proud achievement in the government’s efforts through Socso and various agencies to increase the employability of Sabahans.
“But there are still many challenges that need to be overcome, such as improving the quality of training and ensuring that the skills provided are in line with the needs of the industry. I urge continued strategic collaboration between government, educational institutions and the private sector to expand job opportunities and provide more relevant training,” he said in his speech.
Meanwhile, Socso Group chief executive officer Dato Sri Dr Mohammed Azman Aziz Mohammed said the two-day carnival offered job opportunities that encompasses all walks of life, including the less abled, senior citizens and former inmates.
Mohammed Azman said not only that, but the MyFutureJobs portal managed by Socso is a national employment platform which also plays an important role in connecting jobseekers with employers, having offered more than 11.1 million job opportunities with more than one million individuals receiving jobs since it first launched in 2020.
“As of September 27 this year, MyFutureJobs has registered over 2.79 million jobseekers, including 46,000 less abled persons and 106,000 Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) graduates. This is a significant achievement and proves the effectiveness of our efforts in tackling the issue of unemployment.
“In line with our efforts to improve the welfare of workers, Socso on October 1 this year has enforced an increased wage ceiling for Socso and Employment Insurance System (EIS) from RM5,000 to RM6,000 a month. This is expected to benefit around 1.5 million workers or close to 15.5 percent of the total Socso contributors in the country, with an interest rate surge of over 20.2 percent.
“Aside from that, we are concerned on the high poverty rate in Sabah. As a proactive step to tackle this issue, Socso and the Sabah Government through the Sabah Maju Jaya secretariat have signed a Memorandum of Understanding on February 13 this year, whereby Socso will develop the MySynergy System database platform to identify and channel social security benefits to prospects in need,” he said.
