KUCHING, Jan 28: A Democratic Action Party (DAP) leader calls on the government to give RM200 cash handouts to the B40 group during this challenging time of Movement Control Order (MCO) and Conditional MCO (CMCO).
Special Assistant to DAP Sarawak Chief Chong Chieng Jen, Julian Tan also requested the government to look into the needs of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) during this challenging period.
“Consider our proposal of cash handout in the form of e-Wallet of RM200 per month for three months and immediately reach out to SMEs in the business sector that are at high risk of facing business closure.
“The hangouts will provide the much-needed cash and spur the local economy. Those without e-Wallet can always opt for the standard way of receiving the payment,” said Tan in a press statement today.
He said ever since the start of this year and the newly imposed CMCO and MCO, there has been an increasing number of people requesting help to provide food aid from DAP.
Despite limited resources, said DAP is trying to render as much help the party can.
“The government also needs to look into SMEs’ welfare to help them sail through this challenging period. The SMEs themselves are an important integrated part of the larger social and economic ecosystem in providing jobs, especially to the B40.
“It’s like a chain domino effect; if the SMEs are gone, so does the income for the B40 and the welfare of the children within the community. The current BKSS 5.0 does not address the immediate needs of the B40 and SMEs.
“We urge the government to no more delay and to expedite helps to the B40 and SMEs,” said Tan.
Due to the raging number of Covid-19 cases in the past two weeks, the Sarawak government has extended the MCO in Sibu and CMCO in the rest of Sarawak to Feb 14, 2021. — DayakDaily
