10,000 retrenched in Malaysia

10,000 retrenched in Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters): More than 10,000 Malaysians have been retrenched by companies due to the country's economic downturn, the Malaysian Trade Unions Congress (MTUC) said yesterday.

The national Bernama news agency quoted MTUC President Zainal Rampak as saying that around 5,000 workers were laid off with immediate effect in the last week alone.

Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said last week that there were at least 100,000 unfilled jobs, 40,000 in the manufacturing sector and 60,000 in plantations.

Most of the workers were retrenched just a day before a week- long holiday for Moslem Eid al-Fitr and Chinese Lunar New Year at the end of January, Bernama quoted Zainal as saying.