KUCHING: The Sarawakku Sayang Special Assistance (BKSS) 5.0 package is pivotal to mitigate the adversities affected by the recent flood and the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, said a Cabinet minister.
Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said the assistance package will be able to ease the burden of the people.
“This initiative is important given the spread of Covid-19 that hit the country, and Sarawak is no exception. Furthermore, Sarawak has also been hit by floods, especially in several places, including urban areas,” he said.
Abdul Karim lauded the electricity bill discounts given to domestic, commercial and industrial consumers from 5 percent to 25 percent on monthly bills from Jan to June 2021.
“This discount will benefit 642,000 households throughout Sarawak, involving a total of RM166.2 million discount for electricity bills that will be funded by the Sarawak government,” he said in a Facebook post today.
He appended, similar discounts on water bills given to domestic, commercial and industrial consumers will benefit more than 568,000 households throughout Sarawak.
“The total water bill discount amounting to RM31.5 million will be funded by the government as well,” he said.
The Youth and Sports minister also welcomed the discounted assessment rate to
residential, commercial, industrial and special holding premises which would benefit 185,000 premises costing RM74.6 million.
“The provision of a 50 percent discount to Housing Development Corporation (HDC) tenants will benefit more than 3,200 people, costing more than RM3 million.
“The 30 percent discount on land tax payments will benefit more than 52,400 residential, commercial and industrial centres, large-scale plantations and other public facilities costing RM11.8 million,” he said.
Abdul Karim also said the deferment of land premiums will benefit more than 1,720 landowners throughout Sarawak.
