The unemployment rate in Sabah has remained stagnant despite an increase in employment, said State Industrial Development and Entrepreneurship Minister Datuk Phoong Jin Zhe.

He acknowledged that Sabah historically has the highest unemployment rate in Malaysia, peaking at 9.1% during the Covid-19 pandemic before declining to 7.7% in the latest quarter.

“Employment has increased by 128,000 compared to the fourth quarter of 2022, with the total number of employed individuals rising to 2.128 million,” he said on Friday.

The unemployment rate measures the percentage of jobless individuals actively seeking work.

However, he noted that the number of unemployed individuals has remained relatively stable over the past two to three years.

Phoong urged a broader perspective on employment, saying headlines often highlight Sabah’s high jobless rate while overlooking overall employment growth.

He also pointed out that Sabah’s demographic composition, including a substantial non-citizen population of about 23%, could be influencing employment data.

The figures were provided by the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM). – February 14, 2025.