Wage subsidy win-win for employers, staff

During the Movement Control Order (MCO), measure furniture trading company Leong Peng Huaat Trading Sdn Bhd did not forsake its workers.

Instead, the Sungai Bakap-based company, which has been in business for more than 20 years, paid salaries on time and ensured no one was laid off while struggling to stay afloat with no incoming revenue.

The company’s finance and accounts department manager, John Lee, said this was possible thanks to the financial assistance under the Kita Prihatin Wage Subsidy Programme.

“Like many other businesses, we were affected when the MCO was enforced. It was a complete standstill for us as we had never done business online before.

“We could not leave our employees out in the cold as they too had mouths to feed and bills to pay.

“With the shutdown (in March) and the company’s obligation to protect our employees while trying to stay afloat, the fund has helped us weather tough times. Just imagine if there was no such programme,” he said.

Despite the shutdown, he said, the company had to spend more than RM50,000 every month for employees’ salaries and other costs. Lee said the Kita Prihatin programme created a win-win situation for both the company and its employees.

“No one should be out of a job, especially during such a challenging time. “It is disheartening to see so many companies closing down due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Many people are also out of jobs.

“I guess we are among the lucky ones who managed to pull through under such circumstances.”

Lee said even after the MCO was lifted, it took some time before business started to improve.

He said business had now resumed to normal.

“We are planning to take our furniture trading business online under this new normal brought about by the pandemic. Nst