KOTA KINABALU: The RM150 billion Pakej Perlindungan Rakyat dan Pemulihan Ekonomi (Pemulih) announced by Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yasin is a comprehensive stimulus package that will benefit Sabah, said Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Hajiji Haji Noor.
“On behalf of the State government, I congratulate the Prime Minister for the very comprehensive stimulus package, which will surely benefit the people and economic sectors in Sabah,” he said. “The allocation that included a RM10 billion fiscal injection is substantial and it is what the country needs right now to cushion the impact of the third nationwide COVID-19 lockdown,” he said.
Hajiji said it augurs well for the people in Sabah who will be receiving cash assistance from the State government under the Bantuan Sabah Prihatin 3.0 on top of the COVID-19 Special Assistance (BKC) worth RM4.6 billion under Pemulih.
The BKC is expected to benefit over 11 million households, senior citizens and singles in the Bottom40 (B40) and Medium40 (M40) categories in the country. Under Pemulih, B40 households would receive RM500 from the government
in August and RM300 in December; B40 singles to receive RM200 in August M40 households to receive RM250 in August while M40 singles would be receiving RM100 in August. Households categorised in the abject poor bracket would receive RM1,800.
The Chief Minister said the allocation of RM300,000 to Members of Parliament for food basket assistance would go a long way to help affected groups in the elected representatives’ respective constituencies. He also welcomed the Prime MInister’s announcement that Bank Simpanan Nasional (BSN) will start its mobile banking facilities in Sabah beginning July to give easier access to banking services to people in the rural areas.
The government would be offering a RM18 million fund to local banks to set up 30 Mobile Banks in Peninsula Malaysia, Sarawak and Sabah covering 250 rural area places.
According to Hajiji, Pemulih provided improved financial aids across the board to farmers, contractors, SMEs, nursery operators, sports facilities operators, creative arts sector, people with disability, tourism sector among others. He said Sabah also welcomed the allocation of RM400 million to boost the nation’s vaccine supply and to expedite the National COVID-19 Immunisation Programme.
Hajiji said the granting of the six-month bank loan moratorium without anycondition to all individual borrowers and micro-entrepreneurs showed thesensitivity of the government to the needs of all.
“The move to extend the Job-Seeking Allowance to Sosco non-contributors, especially new graduates, school-leavers and informal sector workers where those who are registered under MyFutureJobs are set to receive at least RM300 is very significant,” he said.-pr/BNN
