KUCHING, Jan 30: Minister of Entrepreneur Development and Cooperative (Medac) Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar has met up with representatives of Sarawak Business Federation (SBF) to help resolve issues concerning their ineligibility to apply for Wages Subsidy 3.0 Permai.
According to Wan Junaidi, unlike their counterparts in other states, many of the companies in Sarawak are not eligible to apply for this assistance because most areas in the state are placed under Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) whereas the subsidy is only applicable to businesses in areas under Movement Control Order (MCO).
“Just like other parts of the country, businesses in Sarawak are also facing hard times from the severe drop in sales following the restricted movement due to Covid-19. I feel this is a technical issue that can be resolved amicably.
“It is not right for the Sarawak businesses to be deprived of this subsidy, which would certainly be significant to help them in this trying time, and as a Sarawakian who holds a post as a federal minister, it is my duty to assist them in their appeal by raising this issue up to the relevant party and authority,” he said in a press statement today.
Wan Junaidi noted the Wage Subsidy Programme (WSP1.0) was introduced last year to provide financial assistance to employers affected economically by Covid-19 pandemic to continue operations and avoid the loss of jobs and income streams for all enterprises in Malaysia.
Under this programme, he said, initially administered by the Social Security Organisation (Socso), employers will receive RM600 for each worker earning RM4,000 and below for a time frame set by the government.
He pointed out that the WSP 3.0 was again introduced by Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin this year following the nationwide MCO, except for Sarawak which is placed under CMCO.
“The subsidy was initially targeted to sectors hard-hit by the Covid-19 pandemic namely tourism and retail sectors but then extended to employers for all sectors operating within states under MCO.
“The SBF is an umbrella body that is represented by 13 chambers of commerce that wholly represents approximately 10,000 registered businesses operations in Sarawak.
“It is appealing to the government to extend the WSP 3.0 programme to Sarawak employers operating outside the MCO areas,” he added. — DayakDaily
