KUCHING, March 19: Kuching Team Dynamic leader Eric Tay opines that the Sarawak government should play its role in assisting Sarawakians in terms of both wellbeing and finance during the Covid-19 outbreak.
Tay in a statement asserted the fight against the novel coronavirus cannot rely solely on federal government agencies and the Sarawak government has a duty to play.
“At this very moment, the Sarawak government should play its role in assisting the people of Sarawak both humanly (sic) and financially, and we should consider providing lunch and dinner to staff on the front line against the virus, such as doctors, nurses, and medical staff of the Health Department too,” he suggested.
Tay also proposed that a special subsidy be provided for patients diagnosed with Covid-19.
He added that the local government authorities should offer rental reduction or provide one-time special assistance to the hawkers and small businesses in the food centres it manages.
Meanwhile, Tay also called on the federal government to consider exempting taxes for all industries affected by Covid-19.
He opined Covid-19 is akin to a new version of a financial crisis in terms of severity and acuteness of its damage to the national economy.
He also urged the government to take prompt and positive measures, apart from legislative control, to alleviate the people’s suffering from various aspects.
“The whole supply chain in industrial, commercial and agricultural fields are all affected, making life difficult for the people, especially workers with low income and in the B40 group.
“Therefore, I urge the federal government to consider introducing tax exemption to all the industries affected during the period of the epidemic,” he added. — DayakDaily
