SHAH ALAM, Dec 12 — Data shows that the number of Self-Account Workers has been steadily growing, driven by current economic pressures, the rise of the digital economy, and changing lifestyle preferences.
Berita Harian reported TA Securities analyst Farid Burhanuddin as saying that the increase reflects the modern workforce’s preference for flexibility and the desire to boost income through side jobs.
“Self-account workers rose 0.4 per cent to 3.25 million in October 2025, showing the growing appeal of flexible work and income diversification among Malaysians,” he said in a research note based on the Statistics Department (DOSM) data.
Farid added that the continued recovery of service sectors, including food and beverage, wholesale and retail trade, and digital activities, also supports this growth.
While this creates more opportunities for independent work, domestic economic resilience and various employment support programmes have also further strengthened the momentum.
"The trend highlights not only the labour market’s resilience but also individuals’ ability to generate income independently and that self-employed workers have now become an essential component of the nation’s employment structure, aligning with the broader trend of income diversification," he said.
Meanwhile, a Maybank Investment Bank Bhd (Maybank IB) analysis stated that the Self-Account Workers group had been on a rising trajectory in recent years, fuelled by Malaysians’ preference for earning income outside the formal job structure, whether through small businesses, the gig economy, or independent professional services.
“The stable labour market, with the unemployment rate remaining at 3.0 per cent for seven consecutive months, has created favourable conditions for more people to shift toward self-employment,” it said.
Maybank IB noted that near-full employment has encouraged more workers to take up side activities outside their main jobs, contributing to stronger private consumption and household income.
With labour market conditions remaining stable, both research firms expect self-employment participation to continue expanding in the coming months, in line with rising demand for flexible work and more dynamic lifestyles among Malaysians.
