GEORGE TOWN: Owners of small businesses are relieved to hear of the government's move to roll out the Wage Subsidy Programme 3.0 under the Perlindungan Ekonomi dan Rakyat Malaysia (Permai) assistance package.
As their businesses have been impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic, they say Permai was a boon in uncertain times.
The owners of Umi Sekha Catering, a household brand in Penang for catering, and Hameed Pata Mee Sotong are grateful as they have seen a more than 70 per cent drop in business during the current Movement Control Order (MCO).
Umi Sekha Catering proprietor Jamal Sh Hassan Sulaiman Damanhoori said just like the first round of MCO, many catering orders had to be cancelled.
He is, however, adamant in retaining all his five workers.
"The last time around, I applied for the Kita Prihatin Wage Subsidy Programme, which I managed to secure for two of my local staff.
"And for that, I am thankful as it helped to pay for part of their salary while I looked for other avenues to pay the remaining amount, including for the other workers as well.
"I will apply for the Wage Subsidy Programme 3.0 again. The prime minister's announcement is a welcome relief for small businesses like mine," he said.
It was previously reported that when the first MCO was implemented last March, Jamal Sh Hassan saw his catering business drop to almost zero, resulting in losses of more than RM200,000.
At that time, his children moved the catering business online through social media platforms to cater to the demands of their regular customers and earn some income so as to ensure their workers could keep their jobs.
Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said the enhanced Wage Subsidy Programme 3.0 would be open to all employers operating within states that had been placed under the MCO, irrespective of sector.
For a period of one month, eligible employers will receive a wage subsidy of RM600 for each employee who earns less than RM4,000.
Hameed Pata Mee Sotong manager Ali Azlan Shah Shahul Hameed, 29, said he would apply for the wage subsidy.
"I will certainly apply for my six workers.
"Times are difficult. But, I will do everything possible to maintain all my workers as they too have mouths to feed and bills to pay," he added.
Source: https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2021/01/658927/permai-relief-small-business-owners