KUALA LUMPUR, June 3 — The government has approved wage subsidy applications worth RM1.193 billion under the Wage Subsidy Programme 2.0 (PSU 2.0) as of May 21.

Finance Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz said the wage subsidy had benefitted a total of 73,815 employers to continue operating and maintained employment for 642,123 workers.

Meanwhile, he said as of May 21, a total of 137,593 workers had also managed to get jobs through the Recruitment Incentive and Training Assistance programme.

"Among the major industries and sectors that employ are manufacturing as well as wholesale and retail trade,” he said in the 55th Implementation and Coordination Unit Between National Agencies (Laksana) report released today.

For SME Soft Loans Funds operated by Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM), Tengku Zafrul said that as of May 21, the total loans approved by local banks and accepted by small and medium enterprises (SMEs) were RM11.95 billion and it will benefit 25,406 SMEs.

Under the Penjana SME financing programme, he said that as of May 21, a total of 7,497 applications had been approved with a total loan value of RM1.403 billion.

"As of May 21, RM66.2 million has been channelled to 13,866 businesses in the form of grants and loans for subscription to digitalisation services,” he said.

On the issue of Penjana tourism sector financing, Tengku Zafrul said that as of May 21, a total of 657 applications were received for this financing.

"Out of these, 325 applications have been approved with a total funding of RM64.6 million,” he said.

He also said that as of May 21, a total of RM722.91 million in Frontliners Allowance had been channelled based on 2,028,639 claims from doctors, nurses and other medical staff directly involved in the management and containment of the Covid-19 epidemic.

"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,” he said. — Bernama