By Peter Sibon
KUCHING, Aug 29: The Sarawak government will give RM2,000 cash incentive to women entrepreneurs who have been left from either the Bantuan Khas Sarawakku Sayang (BKSS) B40 or the federal government Prihatin’s B40 financial assistance.
Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg said he will instruct the State Secretary’s Office task force to look into the matter.
“We want to filter it (new application) as there are those who have received the cash incentive under BKSS B40. So, the State Secretary’s Office task force will filter the names of those who have got the assistance.
“So, entrepreneurs who have not get the BKSS and also from the federal government’s Prihatin assistance. We will look into those who have not receive because they do not have the licence,” Abang Johari told reporters after officiating the Sarawak Women’s Day 2020 held at Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK) here today.
He explained that prior to this, the state government has given assistance to women entrepreneurs RM2,000 in terms of equipment.
“But because of Covid-19, (Minister of Welfare, Community Wellbeing, Women, Family and Children’s Development) Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah has requested the assistance to be given in cash which I have agreed,” he said.
Abang Johari who is also Finance Minister, pointed out that the cash assistance would be given out to women entrepreneurs who have not registered with the local authorities.
“A lot of these women entrepreneurs have not registered with the local authorities. So, they don’t have any license. But they are producing their products from home. What happens now is she (Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah) wants them to be included, those who are registered with them. So, I’m looking into it,” he explained.
Under the BKSS, the state government has given out cash incentives, such as the special monthly incentives for the frontline personnel, assistance for hawkers and petty traders, incentive for owners and operators of penambang, incentive for licensed van operators, taxi drivers and school bus/van operators, as well as special grant assistance to licensed tourists and park guides.
Abang Johari also explained that Sarawak has no plan to give out additional stimulus package as it has anticipated such needs until December.
“BKSS is up to December. We pay every two months (for B40) until December. We anticipate until December when we introduced the BKSS last time,” he reiterated.
Earlier in his speech, the Chief Minister revealed that the state government has given out more than RM1 billion under the BKSS for various cash assistance to B40 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Other incentives given out were free school buses in Kuching area.
Additionally, the state government has also provided bus transport in Kuching and other major towns with only RM1 charge for B40.-DayakDaily
