KUALA LUMPUR - Most companies said they were unable to pay beyond two months' worth of wages to their employees, while two-thirds of companies did not earn any income during Malaysia's movement control order .
"The unemployment rate in March 2020 increased to 3.9 per cent. This high unemployment rate was mainly attributed to the adverse impact of the MCO on the labour market," said Chief statistician Mohd Uzir Mahidin in a statement.The survey results reveal the pressures faced by employers after nearly two months of a partial lockdown since March 18, with Malaysia closing its borders and shuttering schools and non-essential businesses.
Businesses today are hopeful after the government began relaxing the MCO on May 4, including allowing some retail shops in malls to reopen as long as they follow the government's mandatory coronavirus safety rules.
Those doing food exports to Singapore and of course Johor, most notably Johor Bahru. Without Singapore consumers and those working in Singapore bringing back money to spend, the state and Sultan must be fearing empty pockets soon.