KUCHING: A total of 5,682 vacancies will be made available during the state-level Azam Job Placement Programme at Stadium Perpaduan here on Sept 27-28.


August showing a poster of the ‘Azam Job Placement Programme’, to be held at Stadium Perpaduan this weekend. — Photo by Jeffery Mostapa

A total of 105 booths will house a wide range of companies ranging from the services sector to production lines, which will also conduct open interviews for jobseekers.

“We hope that those still looking for jobs would take this opportunity to look up the prospects offered by these employers as we are aiming for locals (Sarawakians) to fill up all the vacancies,” said state Labour Department director August Buma during a press conference at Wisma Bapa Malaysia here yesterday.

He also announced that the event would be launched by Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri Richard Riot, who is also Serian MP, this Saturday at 10am.

The department, August added, would expect to entertain more than 10,000 job-seekers flooding the stadium on both days.

According to him, the bulk of the offers will be technicians with 2,174 vacancies, followed by the services sector with 1,616.

Other available openings will be in the Armed Forces with 50 vacancies, professionals (33), supervisory (109), management (236), clerical (47), elementary occupation or general workers (652) and machine operators (765).

“We hope that those coming to the event would consider skills-based industries as they are part of the state’s target of having at least 50 per cent of total workforce to comprise those with (technical) skills,” August said, noting that currently, skilled workforce only made up 28 per cent of total workforce in the state.

Moreover, August said jobseekers would have access to register on online employment portal JobsMalaysia.

“For those who manage to secure job placements during the open interview, we would like to congratulate them in advance. For those who are under the KIV (Keep In View) category, the department will monitor these applications,” he said.

On another note, August said the state’s Labour Department had successfully provided employment to 4,927 individuals. Adding on, he also disclosed that unemployment rate was at 2.3 per cent, rating Sarawak as a ‘Full Employment State’.

For the record, the department has been entrusted with carrying out the 1Azam initiative of eradicating poverty through job placements since last year.

“Keep in mind that these figures will fluctuate as it involves those who are in the transitional periods between school, college and work. The percentage will see an increase, especially after convocations and public exams,” he added.

On another subject, August also highlighted that the department managed to solve 519 labour cases out of the total 654 received as at June this year.

“For cases involving ‘balance of wages’, we have instructed employers to fully settle the pay of their employees – an exercise that worth a total amount of RM99,000,” he said.

For termination and lay-off benefits cases, he said they involved RM26,703 while dismissals without notice amounted to RM38,877, which must be paid as compensation to employees.

The law, August said, also worked both ways as employees who went absent-without-leave (AWOL) were also ordered to pay up their employers. Such cases, however, only involved a total compensation of RM5,722, he said, adding that those categorised as other claims involved a compensation of RM18,063.