by BERNAMA / pic by TMR FILE

EMPLOYERS who bear the cost of Covid-19 screening will get double tax deduction for the payment of employee screening costs made during the year, said Finance Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz.

“Individuals can also get tax exemption for screening costs,” he said in a media briefing on the Malaysian Economic and Rakyat’s Protection Assistance Package yesterday.

Tengku Zafrul said the Social Security Organisation will bear the cost of screening foreign workers in the red zone.

On the i-Sinar programme, Tengku Zafrul said the Employees Provident Fund has agreed to facilitate it and so far only 1% of applications have not been approved.

Regarding the moratorium, he said the approval rate is more than 95% for individuals, while for small and medium enterprises, the approval rate is 99%.

“We need to help the most affected. If open to all, the resources will be stretched. (It is) Better to support the needy than provide unnecessary blanket assistance for those who do not need them,” he said.