Bantuan Khas Sarawakku Sayang
I hope all of you are safe and staying healthy. I know this is a very challenging time as many industries and businesses are not in operation, causing loss of income, impacting livelihood of the people.
Although the federal government has announced the conditional movement control order (CMCO), businesses will not commence as usual as people are still very cautious and we have to adopt the “new normal” and to observe the new Standards Operating Procedures (SOP) to contain the spread of Covid-19.
About a month ago on March 23 2020, I have announced BKSS 1.0 and followed by BKSS 2.0 on April 10 2020. These packages, worth RM2.25 billion, are mainly to address the pain points of societal needs as well as industries’ needs across all levels of societal classes and scale of business entities.
The measures include cash hand-outs, loan repayment deferment, interest free soft loan for SMEs, monthly incentives for frontline personnel and discount of utilities bills for consumers in Sarawak. These measures have provided much needed relief to individuals and businesses who are bearing the disruption and challenges caused by Covid-19.
Therefore, I would like to take this opportunity to inform on the progress of the BKSS 1.0 and BKSS 2.0:
• The first payment of BKSS 1.0 for B40 group was credited to 391,037 recipients’ bank account (and it) amounted to RM97.7 million on April 15 2020. For 15,206 recipients that without bank accounts, fund was made available to BSN on April 17 2020 onwards for cash claim;
• A sum of RM3.2 million was credited to 12,856 frontliners’ accounts, involving personnel from Ministry of Health, Immigration Department, Malaysia Arm Forces and Polis DiRaja Malaysia on April 27 2020;
• Exemption of permit and licence fees to traders, hawkers, night market traders and Tamu and a discount of 50 percent on rental of markets and stalls effective April 1 2020 until September 30 2020 have benefitted more than 10,000 hawkers renting markets and stall, particularly under the purview of the Local Authorities;
• 2 million free face masks had been distributed to the rakyat since April 17 2020;
• 8,575 flat tenants of Housing Development Corporation (HDC) have benefitted from the waiver of rentals since April 2020.
• 28,377 households and their 85,000 extended families have benefitted from HDC moratorium on all housing loan/longhouses loan repayments and maintenance charges for housing projects for six (6) months since April 2020;
• 144 small and medium entrepreneurs in Sarawak have benefitted from the deferment of Skim Pinjaman Industri Kecil dan Sederhana (SPIKS) loan starting April 2020;
• 1,800 hawkers and petty traders registered with local authorities have received first tranche of special grant through Sarawak Pay as at April 30 2020;
• 366 applications received under Sarawak Micro Credit Scheme with fund requirement amounting to RM14.48 million; and
• An overwhelming response by over 3,000 SMEs across Sarawak has resulted in an oversubscription of BKSS 2.0 SME Special Relief Fund’s programme that amounted to more than RM1.3 billion. The approvals to-date recorded over RM500 million with remaining applications pending Bank Negara’s approvals.
I received a lot of good feedback from the recipients on the (various forms of) assistance that have enabled them to lighten their financial burden and sustain their livelihood and businesses. I also received feedback that many are still struggling and (they) require further aid. As a caring government, we are very concerned and therefore, I have come up with the third BKSS or BKSS 3.0, which I am going to announce today.
The BKSS 3.0 comprises seven measures to address the wellbeing of the rakyat.
Measure 1: Incentive for eligible B40 households including single Sarawakian earning income below RM2,000 per month
In my previous announcement, Sarawakian households under B40 category earning RM4,000 and below was given monthly cash assistance of RM250 for 6 months.
We received feedback that many of those eligible in this group are not listed in the BKSS 1.0. Therefore, the Sarawak Government has opened the opportunity for those eligible to appeal for this incentive through online system and District Offices from April 18 2020 to April 28 2020.
Based on the appeal, I am pleased to announce that the Sarawak Government will assist this group with cash payment of RM1,500 to additional 30,000 households in Sarawak who are not listed under the earlier BKSS 1.0.
I am also pleased to announce that the Sarawak government will give one-off cash payment of RM500 to 377,806 single Sarawakians, earning income below RM2,000 per month, aged 21 years old and above.
This measure will cost Sarawak government RM234.0 million.
Measure 2: Additional special grant of RM750 to hawkers and petty traders registered with local authorities through Sarawak Pay.
In BKSS 2.0, I have announced the special grant of RM1,500 to hawkers and petty traders registered with Local Authorities in two tranches to be paid in May and July respectively.
I am pleased to announce that the Sarawak government will provide additional special grant of RM750 to hawkers and petty traders registered with local authorities, which will be paid in September.
With this additional grant, each hawker and petty trader will receive a total grant of RM2,250 under this measure. I hope this measure will ease the burden of the hawkers and petty traders that are badly affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.
This additional assistance will cost the Sarawak government RM48.75 million.
Measure 3: Special monthly incentives for front-line personnel involved in Covid-19
In BKSS 1.0, I have announced the special monthly incentives for the frontline personnel involved in Covid-19, namely medical doctors, nurses and medical personnel, immigration officers, PDRM and Bilik Gerakan Negeri officers, Malaysian Arm Forces (ATM) and Rela.
The Sarawak government also acknowledges the contribution and sacrifices of other front-line personnel who are directly exposed to risks while performing their duty in managing the outbreak in Sarawak.
In this respect, I would like to extend this initiative of RM200 per month for six months to the following frontline personnel:
• 358 Royal Malaysian Customs front-line personnel who are working tirelessly in entry points, ports and airports throughout Sarawak;
• 870 Local Authorities front-line personnel assisting in carrying out emergency services, inspection works as well as sanitation works at designated premises throughout Sarawak;
• 887 BOMBA and Penyelamat front-line personnel for carrying out emergency services and sanitation works especially at high risk areas during this trying time; and
• 500 Angkatan Pertahanan Awam (APM) front-line personnel assisting the police and armed forces in ensuring MCO is duly complied.
This measure will cost Sarawak government RM3.2 million.
Measure 4: Incentives for owners and operators of Penambang registered with Sarawak Rivers Board (SRB)
The restriction of movement, including the drastic drop in tourist arrivals to Sarawak over the recent months, has reduced the number of people using penambang services throughout Sarawak. This has badly affected the income of the penambang.
In this respect, I am pleased to announce that Sarawak government will provide a one-off cash payment of RM500 to registered penambang in Sarawak to cushion the impact of income loss due to low demand for their services during this period.
This assistance will benefit a total of 199 penambang and will cost Sarawak government RM99,500.
Measure 5: Incentive for licensed van operators, taxi drivers and school bus/van operators in Sarawak
The Sarawak government is very concerned about the income loss of our licensed van operators, taxi drivers and school bus/van operators in Sarawak due to the movement control order (MCO). We acknowledge the contribution of these transport operators in our daily activities, especially in providing transportation services for our school children, visitors and the general public.
As such, the Sarawak government will provide a one-off cash assistance of RM600 to 959 licensed van operators, 1,976 taxi drivers and 739 School Bus/Van Operators in Sarawak.
This assistance will cost the Sarawak government RM2.20 million.
Measure 6: Special grant assistance to licensed tourist and park guides
The Covid-19 pandemic has badly affected the tourism industry in Sarawak as travel restrictions around the globe have caused several travel agencies in Sarawak to lose business since late January. Our tourist and park guides in Sarawak are losing jobs due to the cancellation of tours and no bookings for the next six months.
Therefore, I am pleased to announce that the Sarawak government will provide a special grant of RM1,500 to 145 tourist guides and 113 park guides in Sarawak to ease their financial burden.
This special grant will cost Sarawak government RM0.39 million.
Measure 7: BSN Mobile Bank Branch Services equipped with ATM MEPS in rural areas
In order to ease the burden of the rakyat, especially the low-income group, the Sarawak government has provided cash aid through Bantuan Khas Sarawakku Sayang (BKSS) whilst the federal government through Bantuan Sara Hidup (BSH) and Bantuan Prihatin National (BPN). All is cash aid is received through bank.
However, people residing in the rural areas have difficulty to access to bank services. I understand their plight and therefore I have initiated a collaboration with Bank Negara Malaysia, Bank Simpanan Nasional and a few other financial institutions to expand their banking services to the rural areas. As a result, we have agreed to extend the bank services to the rural areas through Mobile Bank Branch Services equipped with ATM MEPS.
I am pleased to announce that the Sarawak government will allocate RM1.6 million capital expenditure to BSN to operate their Mobile Bank Branch Services to serve rural communities in Sarawak.
I am also happy to announce that for a start, BSN mobile counter will operate in Pakan, Sarikei from May 10 to 11 and this service will be further extended to other parts of rural areas in Sarawak.
I would also like to announce a one-off grant of RM1500 to members of the media estimated at 500-strong for their contribution. The association will have to coordinate with the State government.
Conclusion
Pakej Bantuan Khas Sarawakku Sayang (BKSS) 3.0 involves a total of RM300 million injection to the Sarawak economy. The overall Bantuan Khas Sarawakku Sayang (BKSS) 2020 involves a total amount of RM2.55 billion. I hope these measures will be able to lessen the financial burden of our people and business communities and help them to recover and regain their momentum to uplift their livelihood.
