KUALA LUMPUR: Payments for the Prihatin Special Grant (GKP), involving existing and new recipients of GKP 4.0, will have a financial implication of RM500 million to the government, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

In a statement, he said the assistance will benefit more than one million micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), easing their financial burden during this challenging period.

Under the National People's Well-Being and Economic Recovery Package (PEMULIH), the GKP 4.0 payments will be made twice beginning Sept 21, 2021, amounting to RM500 and another RM500 in November 2021.

Payments will be credited directly to the bank accounts registered in the GKP system.

"Recipients can check the approval status of GKP 4.0 starting from Sept 20, 2021, on the GKP portal at the website https://gkp.hasil.gov.my," he said.

"Overall, the total allocation that has been and to be channelled to more than one million micro MSMEs under the GKP since COVID-19 hit the country is RM6.08 billion," the prime minister said.

The premier said he hopes that the assistance would mobilise and revive the SME sector which is the engine of economic growth.

-- BERNAMA