KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 16 — The government has channelled a total of RM1.299 billion to 38,651 employers through the hiring incentive programme (PenjanaKerjaya) to retain 284,354 local workers.

Finance Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz said as of December 3, a total of 15,097 employers and 116,316 employees had received PenjanaKerjaya 1.0 benefits worth RM639.3 million.

He added that through PenjanaKerjaya 2.0, a total of RM589.42 million had been channelled as employment incentives which had benefitted 16,648 employers and 138,659 employees.

"The government through the Social Security Organisation (Socso) will continue its recruitment efforts through the Guaranteed Employment Incentive initiative with an allocation of RM2 billion for 2022.

"The government will provide an incentive of 20 per cent of the monthly salary for the first six months and 30 per cent for the next six months subject to employment with a salary of RM1,500 and above,” he said in the 79th Implementation and Coordination Unit Between National Agencies (Laksana) report today.

Tengku Zafrul said the government hoped the effort would create 300,000 new jobs and reduce unemployment among Malaysian workers.

He said the government through various ministries and government agencies would continue its Reskilling and Upskilling programmes for 2022 with a total allocation of RM1.1 billion targeting 220,000 job opportunities.

Meanwhile, through the Wage Subsidy Programme (PSU) as a whole, the government has channelled a total of RM19.453 billion to 357,102 employers to maintain the employment of 2.95 million local workers in an effort to reduce the unemployment rate among Malaysian workers.

PSU 1.0, under the Prihatin Rakyat Economic Stimulus Package (Prihatin) and the National Economic Recovery Plan (Penjana) has approved RM12.955 billion to 322,177 employers and 2.64 million workers as of December 3.

For PSU 2.0 under the Kita Prihatin Package, a total of RM1.403 billion has been channelled to 81,015 employers to continue operating and maintain employment for 715,896 employees as of December3.

Meanwhile, for PSU 3.0 under Budget 2021, a total of RM3.467 billion was channelled to maintain employment for 1.52 million workers and PSU 4.0 under the National People’s Well-Being and Economic Recovery Package (PEMULIH), a total of RM2.067 billion was channelled to 134,851 employers to continue operating and maintain employment for 1.62 million employees.

Tengku Zafrul said the DanaJamin Prihatin Guarantee Scheme (DPGS) under Prihatin which provides a Guarantee Scheme amounting to RM50 billion with a guarantee of up to 80 per cent of the total loan for working capital purposes has benefitted 58 companies with total approved guarantees of RM2.055 billion.

To support the government’s efforts, a total of 11 banks are also involved in this scheme, among which are Malayan Banking Bhd, CIMB Bank Bhd, OCBC Bank (Malaysia) Bhd. — Bernama