Circular No 098/2020
Dated 11 Apr 2020

To Members of the Malaysian Bar

Guidance for Lawyers Applying for the Wage Subsidy Programme

We refer to our Circular No 093/2020 regarding the Wage Subsidy Programme (“WSP”).  We trust that the following list of questions and answers (“Q&A”) will be helpful for Members who are interested to apply for the WSP.

Eligibility

Q1: Do law firms need to show a 50% decrease in income since 1 Jan 2020 to qualify for the WSP?
Only firms with 76 employees or more are required to show at least 50% loss in income since 1 Jan 2020.  For firms that have 75 employees or less, it is not a precondition to show the 50% decrease in income.

Q2: As each branch office of a law firm may have a different Pertubuhan Keselamatan Sosial (“PERKESO”) account, do applicants submit a separate application for each branch office?
If a law firm has branch offices which have different PERKESO accounts, a separate application for each branch office will have to be made.

Business Registration Number (“BRN”)

Q3: In the online application form, applicants are required to key in the Business Registration Number (“BRN”).  For companies, BRN is their company number.  What should law firms key in for this section?
Law firms should key in the Bar Council membership number of the Member who opened the firm’s bank account.

Supporting Documents

Q4: In the online application form, the applicants are required to upload “ID Pengenalan Bank Panel / MyCOID”.  What should law firms upload for this section?
Law firms should upload the Practising Certificate which evidences the Bar Council membership number of the Member who opened the firm’s bank account.

Q5: What document should law firms upload under “Salinan SSM/ROS/ROB”?
The Bar Council has provided PERKESO a list of all law firms registered with the Bar Council and a list of all law firms established prior to 1 Jan 2020.  The Bar Council has asked PERKESO to use both lists when dealing with applications from law firms.  PERKESO has yet to reply regarding this suggestion.

Should PERKESO insist on individual letters from Members, Members should upload a letter confirming their law firm’s registration with the Bar Council prior to 1 Jan 2020.  Members can request for this confirmation letter from our Membership Department by email at membership@malaysianbar.org.my.

Q6: Should applicants upload the full bank account statement under “Salinan Penyata Akaun Bank Perusahaan”?
Members only need to upload the first page of the firm’s bank account statement.

Q7: Do applicants need to affirm the declaration form PSU50 before a Commissioner for Oaths?
No, Members do not have to affirm the declaration form PSU50 before a Commissioner for Oaths.

We hope that the information provided here is of assistance to Members.  We will update Members as and when there are new developments.

Thank you.

A G Kalidas
Secretary
Malaysian Bar