By Nur Ashikin Louis & Florence Genta
KUCHING: Batu Kitang assemblyman Lo Khere Chiang described the ‘Sarawakku Sayang Special Incentive Package’ as timely to assist Sarawakians adversely affected by the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
The incentive package was announced yesterday by Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg.
“Being confined indoors for so many days has taken a toll on our people especially daily paid workers who are breadwinners for their families.
“The package is especially beneficial for people in the B40 group as they are often needy,” he said.
He pointed out that face masks, personal protection equipment (PPEs), medicine and food supplies are the most important to help the public and medical personnel to combat the virus.
“Even deferment of loans is covered including repayments for small-medium enterprises (SMEs). Everybody has been taken care of although it is impossible to satisfy all,” he told the New Sarawak Tribune yesterday.
“My heart goes out to the officers on duty, be they trash collectors, nurses or doctors … they have to work extra hours due to the shortage of workers,” he said.
Lo, who is also chairman of Padawan Municipal Council (MPP), thanked his staff, the police and the army, for enforcing the directives of the government.
“Let us all stay indoors. As for those who are sick and to those who had contact with persons having Covid-19 history, they need go to a hospital.
“The earlier we identity and segregate the sick and those infected from healthy people, the earlier we can return to normal lives,” he said.
The way the
Assistant Minister of Law, State-Federal Relations and Project Monitoring,
Datuk Sharifah Hasidah Sayeed Aman Ghazali, looked at the special aid package,
she reckoned it would take care of Sarawakians until the economic situation becomes
stable.
Speaking to the New Sarawak Tribune yesterday, she described the package as “really
good” hopping that it would ease the burden of the people during the ongoing
14-day Movement Control Order (MCO) period.
“The RM1.15 billion from the state government should reassure Sarawakians that
they are being taken care of and that the state would withstand the stress caused
by the Covid-19 pandemic,” she said.
Over in Sarikei, Repok assemblyman Datuk Seri Huang Tiong Sii had expressed his
appreciation for the frontliners in the fight against Covid-19.
“Thus, I thank Abang Johari for the incentive package. I also urge the people to work with the government to fight the disease,” he said.
The aid package, he said, would ease the burden of the affected people whom he called to obey the Movement Control Order (MCO) to stop the spread of the virus.
In Sibu, Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) Bawang Assan branch chairman Robert Lau was worried about the people especially those who are not economically secure.
He said these people need help over the next few months to overcome their individual economic challenges.
“The state government did the right thing by supporting the most vulnerable members of our society,” he said, adding that the government had been prudent in managing its financial affairs, thus enabling it to do more once Petronas had paid its debt to the state.
