KUALA LUMPUR, June 28 — The government will be providing additional help to businesses in Malaysia, including grants and subsidies as well as aid for the future when the country moves to phase two and phase three of the national recovery plan, Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said today.

In the government’s latest economic package known as Pemulih (recovery) unveiled today, the prime minister listed various aid that will be given to support businesses to ensure their survival during the first phase and second phase of the National Recovery Plan, as most of them are not allowed to operate during the two phases.

Malaysia is currently under the first phase, where only businesses providing essential services and essential goods are allowed to operate.

The special grants or Geran Khas Prihatin (GKP) to micro-businesses would be further expanded under Pemulih, with Muhyiddin announcing today that the government has agreed to give out additional payments under GKP 4.0 to eligible recipients with RM500 to be paid in September and another RM500 payout in November.

This is on top of GKP 3.0 payouts of RM1,000 about two weeks ago and a further RM500 in mid-July, with an overall RM5.1 billion allocated for GKP so far.

"The government hopes that with this GKP 4.0 aid, about one million micro small and medium enterprises especially operators of hairdressers, workshop owners, bakeries and cake shops, health centres, and others are able to reduce their monthly commitments and help in their cash flow, God willing. What is important, micro entrepreneurs who have yet to ever receive this aid, registrations will be open from mid-July,” he said in a speech broadcast live this evening.

Muhyiddin said the government has already spent over RM15 billion for the Wage Subsidy Programme to help employers subsidise 2.7 million employees’ pay, adding that the government has now agreed to implement WSP 4.0 with a RM3.8 billion allocation to subsidise an expected 2.5 million workers.

"Through the WSP 4.0 initiative, the government will subsidise up to 500 workers for each employer at the rate of RM600 per worker for four months, namely two months for each sector in phase two of the national recovery plan, and the subsequent two months especially for sectors categorised in the negative list during the third phase,” he said, adding that the wage subsidy under WSP 4.0 would no longer be limited to those earning below RM4,000 and employers can apply for the subsidy for workers earning more than RM4,000.

Malaysia has not set any timeframe to move to phase two and phase three of the national recovery plan, as it will be based on targeted indicators to be achieved. Phase two will see more businesses being allowed to operate, while all businesses will be allowed to operate in phase three except for high-risk sectors in the negative list such as pubs, nightclubs, spas, pedicure and manicure services.

Here are the other forms of assistance to be given, as announced by the prime minister today: