KUCHING: The RM250 billion economic stimulus package announced by the federal government clearly shows that the government cares for the people by putting the people’s interest first amid the Covid-19 crisis.
Senior Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof said the announcement by Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin is much awaited by the people affected by the Covid-19 outbreak and movement control order (MCO).
“This is evidenced by the large sum of RM128 billion allocated to protect the welfare of the people, as well as RM100 billion to support businesses including Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and RM2 billion to strengthen the country’s economy, while RM20 billion has been announced in a previous package,” he said in a statement yesterday.
He said the package unveiled will help every sector of the community, including those in the interiors of Sarawak and Sabah.
“This package not only assists the low-income group or B40, but also the M40 group through the Bantuan Prihatin Nasional worth RM10 billion,” he said.
He said the RM500 assistance to more than 1.5 million Grade 56 civil servants and contract workers, and the Wage Subsidy Programme to help employers retain staff, will ensure no layoffs and no pay cuts.
“I also want to thank the prime minister for including small projects to improve roads, upgrade dilapidated schools in Sabah and Sarawak, and clean houses of worship and police stations with RM2 billion in funds.
“It is hoped that the project allocation will benefit contractors from G1 to G4 as well as suppliers and service providers, thereby increasing cash flow in the market,” he said.
Fadillah welcomed the prime minister’s announcement to cooperate with state governments especially in Sabah and Sarawak in ensuring assistance is provided quickly to the longhouses and those in the interior areas.
He said it was his hope that Malaysians, Sarawakians in particular, will cooperate fully with the MCO while the government works on how best to help the people affected by the current crisis.
