PETALING JAYA: Over two million workers have applied for assistance under the Wage Subsidy Programme, says Socso chief executive officer Datuk Seri Dr Mohammed Azman Aziz Mohammed (pic).

"Socso has received 278,505 applications from employers, representing 2.24 million workers, for the programme between April 1 and May 7," he said in a statement on Friday (May 8).

Azman said 266,955 applications for wage subsidy were made by employers with less than 75 people in the workforce, involving 1,596,732 workers.

He said 8,248 applications were made by employers with between 76 and 200 employees, involving 317,464 employees, while another 3,302 applications by employers with a workforce of over 200 employees, involving 324,123 workers.

Azman reminded employers to be honest when submitting their applications and comply with the terms and conditions.

“Do not include workers who have not registered with Socso before April 1 and do not submit the names of those who do work for the company, ” he said.

He noted that Socso's enforcement division would take further action on the list of employers, who submitted names of unqualified employees.

"Socso also received 33,264 applications from employers for the Employment Retention Programme (ERP), representing 296,718 employees," he said.

Azman said applications for the ERP were still open and an additional allocation of RM120mil from the government would benefit more workers seeking aid under the programme.

A total of RM13.5bil out of the government's RM260bil Prihatin Rakyat economic stimulus package has been set aside for the wage subsidy programme, aimed at staving off retrenchments impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin announced several initiatives under the package, including the RM600 monthly wage subsidy programme.

The subsidy programme came into effect on April 1 and is an extension of the ERP.

Local workers earning less than RM4,000 a month are eligible for the subsidies with the amount depending on the size of a company's workforce.

Companies that employ more than 200 people will receive RM600 per retained worker while those employing between 75 and 200 employees will get RM800.

Those with fewer than 75 employees will get RM1,200.

Employers having difficulties in submitting their applications or needing clarifications can contact Socso at perkeso@perkeso.gov.my, www.facebook.com/PERKESO.Official or call 03-8091 5100/ 03-4264 5555/ 1-300-22-8000.

https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2020/05/08/socso-over-two-million-workers-applied-for-wage-subsidy-aid