SINGAPORE, Dec 6 — Maybank Singapore and Malaysian Association in Singapore (Masis) have launched a S$40,000 (RM123,615) “Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) Support Fund”, to help low-wage Malaysian workers return home through the Singapore-Malaysia Land VTL.
Under the Maybank-Masis VTL Support Fund, Malaysians with a valid Singapore work permit are able to apply through Masis for up to S$300 in reimbursement to offset expenses relating to Antigen Rapid Test (ART) or polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing.
“Maybank Singapore has been supporting Malaysian workers through Masis since Covid-19 circuit breaker last April,” said Head of Global Banking at Maybank Singapore, Gregory Seow, in a statement issued here today.
Before the VTL scheme between Singapore and Malaysia was opened, Seow said many of these workers could not cross the borders to return home and now there is a “queue” to return home.
In conjunction with the launch, Maybank Singapore has made a Zakat fund donation of S$30,000 to purchase 50 new-to-market items produced in Malaysia, and distribute them to 300 low-income Malaysians working in Singapore.
“We thought this gesture of sampling halal food items from their home country could help alleviate their homesickness. We will continue to assist where we can as part of our mission to Humanise Financial Services in the community we operate in,” said Seow.
The 50 new made in Malaysia halal food products have been made available in a Singapore’s supermarket through the Halal Route to Market Programme (HalMap).
It is an initiative by Maybank Islamic to broaden the business network of Malaysian small and mid-size enterprises (SMEs).
The programme kicked off with a selection of 10 Malaysian SMEs to venture into Singapore’s halal food market.
The 50 new-to-market products are available at Eccellente by HAO Mart located in Kinex Shopping Mall here.
Meanwhile, Masis president Aarathi Arumugam said the application can be emailed to [email protected].
“We can arrange online payment so they don’t have to wait till they return to Singapore to get the funds,” she told Bernama when contacted.
They need to append the email with four details — their valid Singapore work permit; proof of VTL-Land Registration; ART/PCR test receipt with their full name stated; and account details for reimbursement (Singapore or Malaysia).
The application and reimbursement will be processed within 14 days. — Bernama
