Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg
KUCHING: The Sarawak government has set up a special committee to tackle the shortage of workers in the state, says Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg.
Announcing this in his 2021 Chinese New Year message, he said he was hopeful that the committee would be able to resolve the problem to ensure the various projects in the state can be implemented without much delay.
“In spite of all the challenges, I am happy to tell you that our economic fundamentals are strong.
“Our numerous infrastructure projects such as roads and bridges are able to proceed, including the Pan Borneo Highway, that has kept the economic engine moving though it is tough going because of the shortage of workers,” he said.
He pointed out that because of the Covid-19 outbreak, 2020 was a hard year for the whole country and the rest of the world, with the pandemic seemingly not relenting at the moment with its fourth wave even more vicious than the previous infection spikes.
“Undeniably, the pandemic has caused tremendous hardship to our society as people lost their jobs and businesses had to downsize or even closed down,” he said.
Abang Johari assured Sarawakians that the state government is well aware of the people’s predicament and has provided various categories of assistance through Bantuan Khas Sarawakku Sayang (BKSS) 1.0 until BKSS 5.0, to lighten the burden of the people, businesses and the trading community.
So far, a total sum of RM3.0 billion in the form of cash, subsidies, and deferment of payments and loans have been given out under the five BKSS packages, he added.
“We are lucky as Sarawakians are able to receive assistance both from the state and federal governments. For example, many of you received cash assistance under the Bantuan Prihatin Nasional (BPN) and also receive similar cash assistance under BKSS.
“At the same time, consumers in Sarawak are given deductions in their electricity bills, again both from the state and federal governments, at 23 per cent and two per cent respectively.
“I believe people in other states do not enjoy this privilege of receiving dual assistance – only in Sarawak.
“The electricity and also water bill deduction will continue until June this year under BKSS 5.0, incurring the government a total of RM198 million,” he said.
Outside of the BKSS assistance, the chief minister said the state government has already spent more than RM75 million to pay for the cost of quarantine in hotels for returning Sarawakians in order to protect the state from imported infections.
“Again, no other state is doing the same for its people, and also, that is the amount of money (RM75 million) the state government is pumping back into the hotel industry to keep it afloat,” he pointed out.
With strong savings and increased streams of revenue, Abang Johari said the state government is able to provide the BKSS assistance during this difficult time, but cautioned that government resources are not unlimited.
“We must maintain our financial prudence and continue to manage efficiently while at the same time invest especially in the provision of infrastructure and strategic projects,” he said.
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