Regional survey show joblessness, recession, top list of concerns for Malaysians post pandemic

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 12 — Joblessness and an economic recession are the top concerns for Malaysians coming out of the Covid-19 pandemic, according to the results of a regional survey on South-east Asian members.

The ASEAN Studies Centre (ASC) at the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute based in Singapore found 63.7 per cent of Malaysians, above the regional average of 59.5 per cent, in “The State of Southeast Asia 2023 Survey Report” released yesterday.

Such bread-and-butter issues were similarly cited by 70.2 per cent of Indonesians and 69.4 per cent of Cambodians in the report.

Climate crisis ranked second (61.3 per cent) for Malaysians, also above the regional average at 57.1 per cent.

This was followed by concerns related to domestic political instability (50.8 per cent Malaysians); widening socio-economic gaps and rising income disparity (47.6 per cent); the decoupling of the United States (US) and China (35.5 per cent); increased military tensions arising from potential flashpoints (26 per cent); deteriorating human rights (10.5 per cent); and terrorism (4.8 per cent).

A total of 1,308 people in Asean were surveyed for the report, of which 9.5 per cent were from Malaysia.

Respondents were academics, researchers, regional or international organisations’ personnel, government officials, and representatives from civil societies, non-government organisations, media and business or finance sectors.

Last year, the report found that a majority of Malaysians identified Covid-19 (75.4 per cent) as the most immediate threat to the region.

This was followed by unemployment and economic recession (57.8 per cent); regional political instability (50.4 per cent); increased military tensions (28.9 per cent); socioeconomic gaps and climate change (26.7 per cent each); deteriorating human rights conditions (20.7 per cent); as well as terrorism (11.1 per cent).

Established in 1968, the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute is a regional centre dedicated to the study of socio-political, security, and economic trends and developments in South-east Asia and its wider geostrategic and economic environment.