BY: LYNDY NG

This quotation is attributed to both Mark Twain and John F. Kennedy: “There are lies, damned lies and then there are statistics,” which is to mean that statistical facts and figures can be manipulated, twisted and turned for a particular purpose.

In Malaysia, more Malaysians are now confused over the unemployment rate, as while the government states it is at healthy levels, on the ground it looks different as many people are without jobs.

What are Malaysians to believe as AI and technology and automation steadily displaces the need for workers which is why the government needs to think carefully over its present programmes to go hi-tech.

The government must also think and mull over the loss of traditional jobs which gave meaning to many Malaysians which are now scarce or unavailable which is another bone of contention by the Malaysian workforce.

These traditional jobs used to be available to generations of Malaysian workers and this is why this period where these jobs are being lost is a difficult period for people to adjust and adapt to a new employment market.

The Malaysian government must consider the readiness and preparedness of workers to switch to hi-technology jobs and perhaps go about retraining workers to be able to make the switch to hi-tech jobs through phases of transition.

-THE MALAYSIA VOICE

** The views expressed on this opinion is of the writer and not the publisher