IPOH, Dec 13 — A total of 3,643 Perakians have lost their jobs due to the Covid-19 pandemic between March 2020 and November 2021, the state legislative assembly was told today.

Perak Education, Higher Education and Human Resource Committee chairman Ahmad Saidi Mohamad Daud said that the figure was recorded by the Social Security Organisation (Socso) under the work insurance system.

"The retrenchment was due to the several factors which include the closure of several sectors such as industries, hotel and services due to the pandemic,” he said.

Saidi was replying to the oral question asked by DAP’s Sungkai assemblyman A. Sivanesan.

Considering the current work market, Ahmad Saidi said that the state has taken several initiative via Socso to help those who have been retrenched.

"We are giving allowance for those who seeking work for period of three to six months, we are also paying allowance to those insured who return to work and allowance for the insured who has low income. 

"We are also paying incentives to the employers who hire those above 40s, people with disabilities, school and universities graduates,” he said.