KUCHING, Apr 4: Sarawak United Peoples’ Party youth (SUPP) urges the federal government to directly bank in the Prihatin financial aid since the government already has the database.
SUPP youth secretary said all red tape should be cut so that the financial aid may reach the people without hassle.
“Why can’t the government credit or transfer the said RM600 directly to the employer’s bank account based on the EPF or SOCSO database of employees that are already in the system or records of the authorities.
“By doing this, employers of small, medium and micro enterprises do not need to make an application to the government in order to be benefited under this government subsidy program for employers during this difficult time,” said Foo in a statement yesterday.
He said this in response to the recent announcement by the Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin where the federal government has launched a “wages subsidy plan” of up to RM5.9 billion, under which the government will subsidise the small-medium enterprises (SME) in the sum of RM600 for each employee for a period of 3 months; with the prerequisite for employees who earn less than RM4,000 a month and employers who have dropped income by 50 per cent since January 1, this year.
Meanwhile, Foo also questioned how the government calculated or verified whether the company’s revenue had fallen by 50 per cent since Jan 1, 2020, reasoning that the Covid-19 epidemic broke out in Malaysia in March, and the MCO (Movement Control Order) was implemented from Mar 17.
“The dilemma faced by most companies is whether it can survive and keep its business sustainability for the following months in view of the huge impact suffered, without resorting to retrenchment or even business closing down,” said Foo.
Foo urged the federal government to show its utmost sincerity by assisting all the small and medium-sized enterprises including the retail and service industries by employing the mechanism of direct remittance of the RM600 subsidy to employers or companies of SME as well as micro-enterprises across the country to assist them through this difficult time.
“Bearing in mind, employers are not only obligated to pay full salaries to their employees without business operation or income during MCO period, but also to pay their staff’s EPF and SOCSO contributions in time, shop or office rents, utility bills, outstanding invoices owing to a third party and any other operating expenses in order to keep the ongoing business of the company,” said Foo. —DayakDaily
