Finance Minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz said the industries and sectors that employed the workers include manufacturing and wholesale and retail trade.

As for the wage subsidy programme (WSP) 1.0 applications that were approved as of Feb 26, he said the amount had reached RM12.84 billion involving 322,177 employers and 2.64 million employees.

“For WSP 2.0, as of March 26, a total of RM1.112 billion has been channelled to 72,875 employers to enable them to continue their operations and maintain employment for 626,955 employees,” he said when presenting the 48th Inter-Agency Economic Stimulus Implementation and Coordinating Unit report today.

Zafrul said 137,290 participants were approved for the skills and talent enhancement programme.

He said the government had also launched the HRDF Placement Centre (HPC) to promote employment opportunities and match suitable candidates with the right businesses, organisations and industries.

“To achieve this goal, HPC is committed not only to providing training courses but also value-added services that can help improve job search skills and knowledge.

He said other initiatives by the government to generate employment include the “Karnival Penjana Kerjaya Terengganu 2021” on April 3-4, during which 4,631 jobseekers were interviewed and 982 candidates offered employment, while another 1,257 candidates will undergo a second interview.