Introduction
By first analysing the state of the labour market and the institutions that shape it, this book maps pathways towards strengthening wages, jobs, working conditions and social protection in Malaysia – questions the country has long grappled with in its quest for economic growth – as the key fundamentals for recovering from the pandemic. Amid this, we undertake a review of the short- and long-term impacts of the pandemic on the economy, and what the implications are for an overarching labour market policy to build back better. It moves on to identify specific worker groups who exist at the margins of the labour market or who remain most vulnerable to the onslaught of crises and economic shocks, such as informal workers and women. Here, we consider their plight in and beyond the pandemic to establish the foundations for a more inclusive world of work. Finally, we consider future trends for the labour market through transformational shifts in hiring, digitalisation and the green economy. Even as technological advancements and climate change pose a functional threat to labour markets, these shifts, if well harnessed, also present opportunities for growth.
