ALOR SETAR, June 23 — The Social Security Organisation (Socso) has paid out RM186 million in Covid-19 benefit claims to 173,498 workers in the country since 2020 to date involving Act 4 and Act 789 under the Self Employment Social Security Scheme (SKSPS).

Deputy Minister of Human Resources Datuk Awang Hashim said at present, Socso was still receiving and processing applications for benefits related to Covid-19 that occurred at the workplace.

"As of today, a total of 233,746 applications have been received and 173,498 of them have been approved and the applicants have received payments.

"For Act 4, payments have been handed over to 158,691 local workers and 13,740 foreign workers involving payments of about RM185 million. Meanwhile, for Act 789, payments were made to 1,067 employees with a payment of about RM1 million,” he told reporters here today.

Earlier, he had officiated the Northern Region Industrial Harmony Symposium held to enhance employer-employee relations in safeguarding the importance of industrial harmony as well as increasing the level of legal compliance.

Meanwhile, Awang said for Covid-19 benefit claim applications that have not been approved, Socso needed to investigate first to identify where the infection occurred, whether at work or elsewhere.

"Applications that have not been approved may still have incomplete data or documents, so payment cannot be made. But, the initiative is to help those affected by this epidemic, including the families of those who died, "he said. — Bernama