Occupational Profiles of First-generation Malay Graduates and Breakdown by PMET Categories and Private Business Ownership

Mr Abdul Muhaimin Abdul Malik asked the Acting Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs in light of the Intergenerational Mobility report by the Centre for Research on Islamic and Malay Affairs (a) whether there is data on the type of professions that the first-generation Malay graduates normally enter into; and (b) if so, what is the percentage breakdown of Professionals, Managers, Executives and Technicians (PMETs) and private business owners.

The Government does not track the employment outcomes of graduates by which generation of their families they belong to (e.g., first-generation graduates). The General Household Survey provides data on the highest qualification attained, industry, occupation, employment status, usual hours worked and gross monthly income from employment.

Based on the General Household Survey 2025, for employed Malay graduates (i.e., with university as the highest qualification attained), more than nine in 10 were Professionals, Managers, Executives and Technicians. Around nine in 10 employed Malay graduates were employees, with the rest being either employers or own account workers (i.e., individuals who operate their own business or trade without employing paid employees). These trends are comparable to the national population.

The top five industries that Malay graduates were employed in were public administration and education, health and social services, professional services, financial and insurance services, and wholesale and retail trade. This largely mirrors the top industries that university graduates were employed in.