By Adrian Lim
KUCHING, May 12: Sarawak Housing and Real Estate Developers’ Association (Sheda) Kuching branch’s chairman Dato Sim Kiang Chiok is urging the federal government to extend financial assistance, in particular the wage subsidy scheme, to Sarawak.
Sim in a statement today said businesses in Sarawak have missed out on the one month and three months wage subsidies scheme under the Malaysian Economic and Rakyat’s Protection Assistance Package (Permai) announced in January 2021 for Movement Control Order (MCO) 2.0 and another round of economic stimulus package under Pemerkasa announced in March 2021.
Hence, he hoped the federal government can provide more assistance to businesses in Sarawak.
“There are calls from various economic sectors for the federal government to again assist the people and the businesses in automatic bank loan repayments moratorium, wages subsidies, cash handout in this MCO 3.0 period.
“My hope is that when the federal government does extend any assistance, they would also extend the same assistance to Sarawak,” he said.
Sim who is also Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP) Stakan branch chairman commended the Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) in tightening the standard operating procedures (SOPs) of Covid-19 to break the chain of transmission.
Drawing a comparison of the enhanced Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) in Sarawak and the MCO in Peninsular Malaysia, he noted the SOPs there and in Sarawak are almost the same except for the SOPs of the Hari Raya Aidilfitri.
He asserted that Sarawak is more lenient in allowing visitation for the upcoming Hari Raya Aidilfitri on the first day and confined to close family members but in Peninsular Malaysia, no visitation is allowed. — DayakDaily
