The government has received applications for the Wage Subsidy Program totaling 322,177 employers benefitting 2.64 million workers who have managed to keep their jobs as a condition under the program.
In terms of amount the total application will cost the government RM12.945 billion which is calculated till the beginning of October, the initiative was announced under the Prihatin Rakyat Economic Stimulus Package (PRIHATIN) and Short-Term Economic Recovery Plan (PENJANA) which has been one of the best programs highlighted by business associations.
Recently the program has seen its life extended to much rejoice of the community, the Kita PRIHATIN stimulus has extended the subsidy for an additional three months for existing employers while the six-month assistance was given to all applications between Oct and the end of the year.
“As at Oct 1, 2021, a total of RM1.395 billion has been channeled to 80,839 employers to continue operating and maintaining employment for 712,408 employees,” said the Finance Minister.
Separately, the PENJANA’s Business Financing Scheme (SPiM) for Private Higher Education Institutions by Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA) had received 55 applications, and out of that amount, RM152.3 million had been channeled to 22 Bumiputera IPTS.
For the tourism sector, the Government recorded 701 applications, out of which 340 applications had been approved with total funding of RM67.5 million.
To support technical and digital adoption for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and mid-tier companies (MTCs), Tengku Zafrul said the government had channelled a total of RM84.2 million to 13,884 businesses in the form of grants and loans for subscriptions to digitalisation services as at Oct 1.
He said the government had also channelled RM105.94 million to 38,870 SMEs in the form of matching grants to help them adopt digitisation services in business operations.
Not to mention frontliners were also aided financially, with a total of RM1.114 billion channeled in special allowances based on the 2,943,908 claims applied by doctors, nurses, and other medical staff.
This special allowance is also extended to members of the army, police, Customs, Immigration, firefighters, members of the Civil Defence Force, and RELA members who are directly involved in implementing the Movement Control Order (MCO).
