Abang Johari showing measures under BKSS 4.0 after a press conference on Oct 23, 2020. – Photo by Chimon Upon
KUCHING (May 15): The Sarawak government has been expedient in assisting the people affected by the Covid-19 pandemic and has rolled out various assistances catering to different groups through the Bantuan Khas Sarawakku Sayang (BKSS) worth over RM3.2 billion, said GPS Backbenchers Club.
“For Sarawak Democratic Action Party (DAP) chairman Chong Chieng Jen to accuse that the state government has not been assisting the small businesses, such is simply not the case.
“The state government’s track record speaks for itself and the assistances were, to some extent, able to give a lease of life to the petty traders and hawkers,” the club said in a statement today.
GPS Backbenchers Club made reference to an earlier statement by Chong that was reported in an online news portal, alleging that the Sarawak government is delaying its assistance to the people until the state election nears.
It further pointed out that in the package, the assistances rendered include interest free soft loan for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs); special grant of RM1,500 to hawkers and petty traders through Sarawak Pay; abolishment of two per cent interest rates to zero per cent for three and a half years under Micro Credit Scheme as well as waiver for rentals to SMEs in retail sector operating on premises owned by state Government Linked Companies (GLCs).
“The state government’s insistence on the continuity of economic life is also reflected in its policies in handling the Covid-19 pandemic through the Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (SDMC).
“Policies made in terms of imposing movement restrictions have taken into account the hardship faced by the people especially the small business, private sector workers, self-employed and those without fixed income – allowing them to recover from the first movement control order (MCO) last year,” it said.
The Backbenchers Club said this is further supported by the decision to not impose a MCO in Sarawak recently, and instead continuing with the existing conditional movement control order (CMCO)
“The Sarawak DAP should not be politicising the issue to score cheap publicity, using the plight of the traders to establish its relevancy.
“The state government has and will continue to assist small businesses during Covid-19 and we are sure if there is a need for further assistance to be given, it will be rolled out in due time,” it said.