KUCHING: A Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) leader has lauded the state government’s initiative to continue with the Sarawakku Sayang Special Assistance (BKSS), saying it’s the right move for the state’s recovery.
Stakan branch chairman Datuk Sim Kiang Chiok said the BKSS 8.0 package would help to preserve and protect the private sector so that the state would be able to move forward when the COVID-19 pandemic was over.
“Recovery from the pandemic lockdowns is at a different pace for each economic and business sector,” he said on Friday (Jan 28).
He said the continuation of the assistance packages from BKSS 1.0 to 8.0 showed that the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) government understood, cared, and acted to alleviate the hardship faced by Sarawakians due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Our GPS government has excelled in the recently concluded state election with a bigger majority and support. This show that the government’s caring policy works and should be continued accordingly.
“BKSS 8.0 is to assist those who need the most help to overcome the economic hardship that the various lockdowns have brought to our business and economy,” said Sim, who is also Sarawak Housing and Real Estate Developers’ Association (SHEDA) Kuching branch chairman.
He noted that among the measures under BKSS 8.0, hawkers and petty traders registered with the local authorities would be given a further one-off grant of RM1,000 while operators of river taxis, van operators, taxi drivers, and school bus and school van operators would be given a one-off RM500 cash incentive.
He also said that the 50 per cent rental discount for housing schemes under Housing Development Corporation (HDC) Sarawak and exemption of rental payment for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) operating in business premises owned by statutory bodies and state government-linked companies (GLCs) would continue to assist small traders.
“Sarawakians will continue to be assisted by the discount to our electricity and water bills until June, and I am sure all Sarawakians will appreciate this reduction in their cost of living here,” said Sim.
