KUALA LUMPUR - The Human Resources Ministry (KESUMA) is aiming to secure at least 200,000 job placements nationwide this year through various job-matching initiatives and employability programmes under the ministry.

Minister Datuk Seri R. Ramanan said the target is achievable following strong response to the MYFutureJobs Premium Career Carnival 2026, which offers more than 10,000 job opportunities across multiple sectors, including multinational companies, government-linked companies (GLCs) and private firms.

He said job opportunities this year are not only focused in Peninsular Malaysia but also expanded to Sabah and Sarawak, making recruitment coverage more inclusive than before.

“Besides that, there are an additional 10,000 job opportunities that will be offered. We will also begin a nationwide MYFutureJobs roadshow starting in Melaka.

“This roadshow is expected to create even more opportunities for job seekers, with a much higher number of job offers compared to previous years,” Ramanan said.

He said this at a press conference after visiting the MYFutureJobs Premium Career Carnival 2026 site at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC) on April 25.

Also present were Deputy Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Khairul Firdaus Akbar Khan and Social Security Organisation (Perkeso) chief executive officer Datuk Seri Mohammed Azman Aziz Mohammed.

In a separate development, Ramanan said the ministry will launch a series of targeted crisis support initiatives in conjunction with Labour Day on May 1 to address the impact of global economic uncertainty.

He said the move follows reports that 5,900 Malaysians were retrenched in March, with Selangor and Kuala Lumpur among the most affected states.

He added the proactive steps are taken in response to worrying labour market trends influenced by current geopolitical pressures.

Ramanan said one of the key focuses of the initiative is to improve job seekers’ employability through more dynamic interventions, including amendments to the Employment Insurance System Act 2017 (Act 800).

“This improvement is expected to provide more comprehensive benefits to workers, including social protection and easier access to retraining and upskilling programmes,” he said.