Leong Sze Hian, with contribution by Ng E Jay
I refer to the report “Over 19,000 job seekers find work through SPUR programme” (CNA, Jul 3).
Since the number of residents approaching CDCs for help in finding jobs has increased by 100 per cent from October last year to April this year, and the number of unemployed as of March is 95,700, why is it that only 27,000 “people are still looking for work”, as the CNA report said?
If we include those who have lost their jobs since March, surely the number of “people still looking for work” must be much higher?
Manpower Minister Gan Kim Yong said last Friday that it is likely we may observe the unemployment rate rise when the second quarter labour statistics are released later this month. He also said that “it is hard to predict if a second wave of retrenchments will come as this depends on the performance of companies beyond July and August”.