Malaysia’s labour market has grown increasingly fragmented as employers rely on a mix of job portals, recruitment agencies and informal networks to fill vacancies.

Against this backdrop, policymakers are examining how to ensure workers have clear and consistent access to information about available jobs.

One measure under consideration is Section 45F of the Employment Insurance System Act (Act 800), which would require employers to notify their vacancies on MYFutureJobs, PERKESO’s national job-matching platform.

The intent is to establish a basic transparency standard: while employers may continue to advertise roles anywhere they wish, each vacancy must appear at least once on a public platform accessible to all Malaysian jobseekers.

MTUC president Datuk Abdul Halim Mansor said the requirement has been widely misunderstood.

He explained that the provision does not block employers from using other job sites. It only asks that vacancies be posted on a national platform to make them publicly accessible to all workers.

A common reference point for vacancy visibility

Halim said the measure addresses a longstanding fairness concern.

“If a job exists in Malaysia, workers should be able to see it somewhere public, not only in private groups or circles,” he said.

MTUC president Datuk Abdul Halim Mansor

He described MYFutureJobs as a “base layer” for the labour market – a common reference point that ensures nationwide visibility, while employers continue using private portals such as JobStreet, LinkedIn and industry-specific networks for their individual hiring strategies.

A platform already central to national hiring

MYFutureJobs is already a major channel for recruitment. In 2024, it recorded over 200,000 job placements from more than 1.5 million advertised vacancies.

As of Nov 30, 2025, the platform logged another 200,000 placements, supported by more than 170,000 employers registered on the system.

“These figures show the platform is already carrying a substantial share of national recruitment,” Halim said. “Section 45F essentially formalises what is already happening.”

He added that future system integrations could allow employers to “post once and distribute across platforms,” streamlining recruitment processes while maintaining transparency.

Employers retain full flexibility

Halim stressed that employers remain free to recruit through any combination of platforms, and that MYFutureJobs should be viewed as an additional service rather than a compliance burden.

Posting vacancies is fully digital, and PERKESO provides free support such as candidate matching, shortlisting and invitations to job carnivals.

“It is a service employers can use at no additional cost,” he added.

One employer that has adopted the platform consistently is Parkson Corporation. The company reports that posting vacancies is “very simple,” with listings published within minutes.

It also benefits from “possible match” notifications, which help hiring managers identify promising candidates even if they have not applied. Parkson has used the platform to fill critical high-skill positions, including senior IT roles.

Halim said such experiences demonstrate that MYFutureJobs can support both high-volume recruitment and specialised talent searches.

PERKESO provides free support such as candidate matching, shortlisting and invitations to job carnivals.

Supporting a fair and transparent labour market

MTUC maintains that ensuring vacancy visibility on a public platform aligns with broader principles of fairness, particularly as Malaysian workers contribute to and rely on the country’s social protection system.

“Transparency benefits both workers and reputable employers. If companies are serious about hiring the best talent, visibility should not be an issue,” he said.

A measured approach to implementation

Halim said MTUC supports a practical rollout of Section 45F, including a reasonable moratorium period and clear guidelines for SMEs. He emphasised that the objective is to strengthen the labour market, not disrupt hiring practices.

“This is a cleanup exercise, not a clampdown. We are creating one national platform for transparency and data, while allowing many channels for employers to compete for talent,” he said.

He added that clearer information flows and accessible vacancy data would benefit both workers and employers in the long term.

As discussions continue among government, industry and labour groups, he said the shared aim should be a more transparent and predictable hiring environment for all parties.

This Social Security series is in collaboration with PERKESO.