PETALING JAYA: Interns now have a reason to smile as employers will be given an incentive worth RM900 per month for six months to hire interns aged between 18 and 30.

       University student Jonathan Moses, 18, said it was good to see the government paving the way for interns to get a job and be paid.

       “The RM900 initiative to employers to hire fresh graduates is a good move. This would improve the unemployment rate,” he said.

       “Many fresh graduates who graduated before the pandemic were unable to find jobs as many companies were forced to close due to poor economy.

       “Hopefully, the initiative will see unemployed graduates get a job.”

       Finance Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz also announced that a one-off RM150 would be credited into the accounts of youth aged from 18 to 20 and full-time students of higher learning institutions.

       Mohd Shakir Abdullah, 22, said the government should have made it a monthly initiative, especially for university students, who were slowly returning to physical classes.

       “Students need at least RM100 per week to spend on food and transport. Plus, they also need money for their assignments and projects like printing, stationery and others,” he said.

       “I suggest the government make it a monthly payment for a year to help these students as the country recovers economically from the pandemic and parents find it difficult to finance their kids.”