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KUCHING, Mar 3: The Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) wants new Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin to consider establishing their proposal for a revolving fund to provide soft loans for workers to mitigate their financial burden due to the economic impact of Covid-19.
“The RM20 billion stimulus package announced by the previous prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad did not address the core needs of the workers. So we hope that Muhyiddin will consider establishing this fund as a top priority to help workers who are taking home smaller pay packets due to the economic down turn made worse by Covid-19,” MTUC president Datuk Halim Mansor said in a joint press statement with MTUC secretary general J. Solomon.
Halim also stressed that since Muhyiddin has said in his speech last night that he is sensitive on the need for workers to have enough money for daily expenses, MTUC strongly calls on his government to extend the monthly Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) in the civil service to all private sector workers in the B40 and M40 group.
These workers are struggling for survival in dealing with the ever-rising family cost of living.
“There is also a dire need for the new government to draw up a medical insurance scheme for all Malaysians. This is to ensure quality and prompt healthcare reaches all Malaysians irrespective of their position in society. All Malaysians should have equal access to healthcare as this is a hallmark of a caring and fair government,” Halim said, adding that right now, the access was very lopsided with the rich getting the best treatment while the poor struggle or wait for long periods for access.
Meanwhile, MTUC also pledged to give full cooperation to the new government lead by Muhyiddin in any endeavour that will lessen the financial burden of the workers and ensure their job security as well to help boost the country’s economy.
“MTUC wishes to place on record its appreciation to former Mahathir for his initiative and commitment for reforms that the people expected. However, it is sad that he could not fulfil his endeavours, which we believe was due to certain inappropriate team players he had in his cabinet,” Halim said. —DayakDaily
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