KUALA LUMPUR – The Wage Subsidy Programme (PSU) has paid out RM20.64 billion to over 357,639 companies in order to retain 2.96 million local workers and reduce Malaysia’s unemployment rate.
Finance Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz stated that PSU 1.0 benefited 322,177 employers and 2.64 million employees via the Prihatin Rakyat Economic Stimulus Package (PRIHATIN) and the Short-Term Economic Recovery Plan (PENJANA), with approved wage subsidy applications totaling RM12.95 billion as of March 25 this year.
PSU 2.0, however, recorded a total of RM1.407 billion channelled to 81,133 employers to enable them to continue operating and employing 718,336 workers as of March 25 as well.
Additionally, PSU 3.0 disbursed a total of RM3.731 billion to 162,279 firms to maintain employment for 1,526,242 employees.
“PSU 3.0 has also been enhanced by the support packages PERMAI, PEMERKASA, and PEMERKASA+,” he stated in the Laporan Kewangan Rakyat released recently.
Aside from that, PSU 4.0 and PSU 5.0 saw RM2.471 billion paid out to 159,571 employers as well as a recorded RM75.659 million to 3,908 employers respectively. These were used to retain 1,878,549 and 66,096 workers each round.
Tengku Zafrul stated that the government would continue reskilling and upskilling initiatives through various ministries and government agencies throughout 2022. The government has a total allocation of RM1.1 billion targeting 220,000 job opportunities for such initiatives.
“The Finance and Human Resources Ministries have also been tasked with the job of acting as a ‘single window’ to guarantee that reskilling and upskilling programmes run by multiple ministries and agencies are carried out properly and optimally.
“By reopening borders, our economy will recover, generating more jobs and raising everyone’s income. Guided by the government’s progressive initiatives, Keluarga Malaysia will re-emerge stronger and more competitive than ever before,” he added.
Tengku Zafrul also mentioned that the Finance Ministry hopes that the transition to the endemic phase will aid in the recovery of small and medium-sized businesses. He believes that the EPF one-time withdrawal of RM10,000 and special financial assistance in conjunction with Aidilfltri will assist in providing relief to the rakyat.
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