KUCHING, Nov 6: Some 100,000 healthcare frontliners under the Ministry of Health (MOH) will receive a one-off incentive of RM500.
Finance Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz announced this when tabling the 2021 Budget in Parliament today.
He said the payment is a token of appreciation by the government for sacrifices, efforts and resiliency in fighting the Covid-19 pandemic.
“The monthly RM600 Covid-19 Special allowance for frontliners rolled out since last March will continue to be disbursed until the threats of the pandemic can be overcome,” he said.
The government, Zafrul emphasised, is committed to obtaining the Covid-19 vaccine through the participation in the Covid-19 Vaccine Global Access or Covax.
“The war is not over until and unless an affordable and accessible vaccine is available,” he added.
Meanwhile, the government also agreed to expand income tax waivers for medical treatment expenses to cover vaccination expenses such as pneumococcal, influenza and Covid-19.
“The tax exemption is given to vaccination expenses limited to RM1,000 for personal, spouse and children.
“The government will also increase tax exemptions for medical treatment expenses for serious illnesses for self, spouse and children from RM6,000 to RM8,000 as well as expenses for health checks will be increased from RM500 to RM1,000.
“In addition, tax exemptions on medical treatment, special needs and parents will be raised from RM5,000 to RM8,000,” he said. – DayakDaily
