A leading labour rights group is urging the government to press ahead with reforms designed to make job vacancies visible to all Malaysians, warning that “hidden” job openings are worsening the nation’s youth unemployment crisis.

According to a report by Free Malaysia Today, the Union Network International-Malaysia Labour Centre (UNI-MLC) has called on Putrajaya to stand firm on proposed amendments to the Employment Insurance System Act 2017 (Act 800).

The group argues that the current fragmented landscape of job advertising leaves young graduates trapped in a “maze” of guesswork.

UNI-MLC president Shafie BP Mammal highlighted that the issue is not necessarily a lack of talent, but a lack of visibility. With youth unemployment among those aged 15 to 24 currently standing at roughly 9.9 percent - affecting over 290,000 young Malaysians - the opacity of the job market is a critical barrier.

“Today, vacancies are scattered across private portals, WhatsApp groups and closed networks. Some are never advertised at all. That is not a fair system,” Shafie told FMT.

The labour centre is throwing its support behind the government’s move to introduce Section 45F to Act 800. This amendment would mandate that employers notify vacancies on the government’s MYFutureJobs portal. 

While employers would remain free to use commercial platforms like LinkedIn or JobStreet, the government portal would serve as the mandatory “national reference point”.

Shafie noted that the struggle is visible within households across the country, where parents watch their children apply endlessly without success, often unaware if they are simply missing out on opportunities hidden in private networks.

“Their children apply everywhere yet cannot secure stable work, and they don’t know whether opportunities are being missed simply because information is fragmented,” he said.

Addressing resistance to the policy, Shafie urged the government to reject calls for a moratorium on the amendment. He argued that a modern labour market requires transparency and that the proposed changes align with International Labour Organization standards for worker protection.

“Employers can still use JobStreet or LinkedIn, no one is stopping that, but MYFutureJobs becomes the baseline,” Shafie explained. 

“We urge the government to remain firm and stay the course... A modern labour system means vacancies are visible and fair, not hidden and selective.”

This Social Security series is in collaboration with PERKESO.