Datuk William Ng
KUCHING (May 23): The Small and Medium Enterprises Association (Samenta) Malaysia is yearning for further government’s financial support for the small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to stay in business amid the economic impact as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Its chairman Datuk William Ng said many of the SMEs across the country were already down to their last month of reserve as Malaysia struggled to fight against the pandemic.
He feared that without economic support packages from the government, some of the SMEs might not last for another month.
“For some of these SMEs, this would be the last month that they can afford to pay salaries, rental and utilities,” he said in a statement yesterday.
Ng said Samenta Malaysia welcomed the announcement of tightening the standard operating procedures (SOP) for the Movement Control Order (MCO).
He also thanked the government for heeding the call of the industry not to impose a total lockdown.
As such, he urged all members and other SMEs to strictly comply with the tighter SOP such as permitting all employees to work from home.
“And working from home is not viable, they must ensure that all safety and physical distancing protocols are in place.”
Ng also urged the government to further engage the state governments and the private sector in the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme.
“Let us use the machinery at the disposal of the state governments and the private sector to speed up sign-ups and the subsequent inoculation, as and when our vaccine supply is back on track,” he said.