KUCHING, Jan 29: If the Sarawak government can identify the 46,432 small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and micro-businesses eligible for Bantuan Khas Sarawakku Sayang (BKSS), why the need for submission of documents?
Sarawak Democratic Action Party (DAP) chairman Chong Chieng Jen described the requirement as a redundant step.
“All the documents and information are already in the database of the government such as the business names, business registration number, Social Security Organisation (SOCSO) numbers, contacts, and even bank accounts (as most SOSCO contributions are now made through bank transfers).
“Otherwise, how could the government identify 46,432 SMEs and micro-enterprises in Sarawak as eligible to receive the assistance?” he said in a statement today.
He said to help the business sector, the State government should do away with such redundant steps and take immediate action to expedite the payment of BKSS 7.0 to the eligible recipients.
Chong, who is also Stampin MP and Padungan assemblyman, further said Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg should stop using the ‘computer system’ as an excuse to delay the payment of BKSS 7.0.
He noted that out of the 46,432 SMEs and micro-enterprises, only 12,809 applied.
Additionally, 9,955 out of 12,809 applications were rejected by the ‘computer system’ due to incomplete or inaccurate documents, which made up 77.7 per cent rejection rates.
“In other words, the successful disbursement rates for the implementation of BKSS 7.0 assistance for SMEs and micro-enterprises is a mere 6.1 per cent.
“No government of any standard or its people can be satisfied with such miserable and low successful rollout rates of 6.1 per cent in the implementation of any government programme.
“Therefore, the State government must seriously review its system of implementation to ensure that the announced policies and programmes reach the target group which includes the remaining 43,578 SMEs and micro-enterprises who have yet to receive the assistance and stop blaming the ‘computer system’ and the incomplete or inaccurate documents,” he emphasised. — DayakDaily
