KUALA LUMPUR: The government has approved wage subsidy applications worth over RM15.7 billion under the various wage subsidy programmes.

Under Wage Subsidy Programme 1.0 (PSU 1.0) up to Sept 3, 2021, a total of RM12.936 billion had been approved, benefitting 322,177 employers and 2.64 million workers, according to Minister of Finance Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz.

For PSU 2.0, up to Sept 3, 2021, a total of RM1.373 billion had been distributed to 79,703 employers for them to continue operating, sustaining 701,161 jobs.

Under PSU 3.0 up to Aug 29, 2021, a sum of RM1.051 billion had been distributed to 70,676 employers, helping to keep the jobs of 697,872 workers.

"For PSU 4.0, a total of RM382.37 million had been distributed to 58,988 employers, helping them to sustain operations and keeping 637,107 jobs up to Aug 29, 2021," the finance minister said in the 68th LAKSANA report released today.

For the technical and digital support of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and mid-level companies (MTC), Tengku Zafrul said a sum of RM82.9 million had been distributed to 13,884 businesses in the form of grants and loans for the digitalisation of subscriber services up to Sept 3, 2021.

-- BERNAMA