pic by RAZAK GHAZALI

A TOTAL of 1,086 retrenched Malindo Airways Sdn Bhd staff applied for the Social Security Organisation’s (Socso) Employment Insurance System (EIS), as at Nov 15, 2020.

Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri M Saravanan said 794 of the staff who applied for EIS received Socso’s retrenchment benefits totalling RM928,000, while the agency is still processing the remaining applications.

“Employees who were immediately let go from their jobs will be assisted through EIS to get the job search allowance for six months, depending on the qualifications.

“The allowance will be paid between 30% and 80% of their last salary with a maximum of RM4,000,” he told the Dewan Rakyat yesterday.

He was responding to a query by Ramkarpal Singh (DAP-Bukit Gelugor) on the measures taken by the government to assist workers who have been retrenched during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Saravanan said 96 of the former Malindo staff have successfully found new jobs through the national employment portal, MYFutureJobs.

In its latest bid to remain afloat as the travel industry has been severely impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic, the airline was reportedly planning to cut 2,200 of its workforce to 1,000.