He said they were all part of the more than 1.5 million candidates who submitted applications online to the Public Service Commission (SPA) to join the civil service last year.
“Of the more than 1.5 million applications, 162,944 candidates were called for interviews, 101,564 attended the interviews and 57,686 of those successful were appointed in the public service.
“Of the 57,686 people successfully appointed, 25,046 were appointed on a permanent basis and 32,640 on contracts,” he told reporters after launching a SPA Career Carnival at the Melaka International Trade Centre (MITC) in Ayer Keroh here today.
Present were Malacca Chief Minister Idris Haron and SPA chairman Arpah Abdul Razak.
Entulu said the number of applications to join the public service rose every year, but the vacancies offered were limited to 60,000 to 80,000 job openings each year.
“Each year, we receive nearly 1.5 million applications, including from 200,000 diploma holders, graduates of technical and vocational education institutes and repeat applicants from the previous year.”
He said for this year, from Jan 1 to Feb 2, 598,342 candidates had submitted applications to SPA, and of the total, 19,589 candidates were Malacca-born.
He said according to the records, in the same period, 540 applicants among the Malacca candidates were called for interviews, 328 candidates attended the interviews and 68 successful candidates were appointed to the public service.
Entulu said the government urged the graduates, whether at the degree or diploma levels, not to choose jobs but instead to seek employment opportunities, be it in dangerous, dirty and difficult sectors.
In the meantime, Idris said although unemployment in the state registered the lowest rate in Malaysia at 0.8%, efforts to reduce the unemployment rate continued, including by providing skills programmes and training.
“This includes the outreach and the internship programmes for graduates. Over the past five years, 2,941 students have been taken in as industrial trainees under the state administration.”