Malaysia’s government will implement an Employment Generation Guarantee Scheme involving the provision of 500,000 new jobs beginning next year, reports Free Malaysia Today. Finance Minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz said the government will allocate MYR 3.7 billion (USD 898.6 million) to create various upskilling and training programmes. Aziz said the government would also continue with recruitment efforts through Socso (social security organisation), with an allocation of MYR 2 billion (USD 485.7 million) on four incentives. The first would be an incentive for Malaysians earning that will be increased by 40%. Employers will receive an additional incentive of 20% to encourage job opportunities for people with disabilities, the long-term unemployed, and those whose services have been terminated. Furthermore, sectors with a high dependence on foreign workers, such as construction and plantations will receive a special incentive of 60% of monthly salary. Employers will now be able to claim MYR 7,000 (USD 1,700) towards training costs for high-skilled or professional certificate programmes, for those employed under the government’s hiring incentive programme.