Govt approves RM1.259 bln under PENJANA SME financing scheme - Tengku Zafrul

KUALA LUMPUR: The government has approved 6,731 applications involving an allocation of RM1.259 billion under the National Economic Recovery Plan (PENJANA) Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) financing scheme as at Feb 12, 2021, said Finance Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz.

The PENJANA SME financing scheme with an allocation of RM2 billion prioritises SMEs which have not received financing from banks previously.

He said for the PENJANA Tourism Sector Financing, the government allocated RM1 billion for SMEs and micro SMEs which are still affected by COVID-19.

"There were 579 applications for this financing and out of this, some 282 applications have been approved with financing totalling RM57.1 million," he said in the 42nd Economic Stimulus Implementation and Coordination Unit Between National Agencies (LAKSANA) report today.

Meanwhile, for the PENJANA Micro Credit Financing under Bank Simpanan Nasional, a total of RM363.4 million had been disbursed, benefitting 10,774 micro SMEs including those in the retail and services sectors.

For Bumiputera Relief Financing which was introduced by Perbadanan Usahawan Nasional Bhd with funding of RM200 million, some 572 SMEs had received funding of RM161.7 million as at Feb 12, compared with 548 SMEs which received funding of RM153.0 million in the previous week.

"On the objective of Empowering the People, the first phase of the Wage Subsidy Programme (PSU 1.0), is still ongoing and the government has channelled RM12.763 billion to 322,177 employers and 2.64 million registered workers.

"For PSU 2.0, a total of RM770.31 million has been channelled to 65,398 employers to enable them to continue operations and retain the employment for 534,183 workers," he said.

Tengku Zafrul said as announced during Budget 2021, targeted PSU was introduced to assist the tourism and retail sectors while all sectors affected by the implementation of the Movement Control Order this year are qualified to receive PSU 3.0 support under the Malaysian Economic and Rakyat's Protection Assistance Package (PERMAI).

-- BERNAMA