The Governments strategic assistance for employers to retain staff under the wage subsidy programme is reportedly to be well received and has helped to keep employment steady during the various periods of MCO. A total amount of RM20.7 billion were allocated including the additional RM1.5 billion at the recently announced Permai package.
Finance Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz said “With the expansion of scope to include all companies affected by the Movement Control Order (MCO), PSU 3.0 will receive an additional allocation of RM500 million, bringing the amount to RM1.5 billion under PERMAI (Malaysian Economic and Rakyat Protection Assistance Package).
3 million employees have benefitted from the initiatives giving some breather for companies, those registered for Socso submitted their headcounts and received subsidy for workers earning below RM4000. Expanding on the wage subsidy, the government has also allocated RM3.7 billion under the job creation programme under Budget 2021 this includes hiring incentives for employers and businesses.
As of date, the PRIHATIN Supplementary Initiative Package (KITA PRIHATIN) under which the PSU 2.0 is placed, Tengku Zafrul said as at Jan 15, 2021, the government had channelled some RM590.35 million to 57,146 employers for 475,510 workers. The first package or PSU 1.0 under the National Economic Recovery Plan (PENJANA) which is still ongoing, saw RM12.702 billion distributed for 322,177 employers and 2.64 million employees.
The packages have now included new targeted sectors including tourism and retail sectors, whereas all sectors affected by MCO this year are eligible to receive the PERMAI Assistance Package.
