KUCHING: Further assistance will be given to hawkers, petty traders and small to medium-sized assistances (SMEs) where needed, said the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) Backbenchers Club.
“The state government has been expedient in assisting the people affected by the Covid-19 pandemic and have rolled out assistance to different groups through the Bantuan Khas Sarawakku Sayang (BKSS) which is worth over RM3.2 billion.
“The state government’s insistence on the continuity of economic life is also reflected in its policies in handling the Covid-19 pandemic through the Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (SDMC),” it said in a statement on Saturday (May 15).
It said among the assistance rendered included interest free soft loan for SMEs; special grant of RM1,500 to hawkers and petty traders through Sarawak Pay; abolishment of interest rates under the Micro Credit Scheme and waiver of rental at GLC-owned premises.
They were responding to claims by Sarawak Democratic Action Party (DAP) chairman Chong Chieng Jen who alleged that the state government is withholding Covid-19 aid until the state election nears.
“For Chong to accuse that the state government has not been assisting small businesses, that is simply not the case.
“The state government’s track record speaks for itself and the assistance were, to some extent, able to give a lease of life to the petty traders and hawkers,” it said.
The GPS Backbenchers Club said Covid-19 policies has taken into account the hardships faced by the people especially small businesses, private sector workers, self-employed and those without fixed income.
“This allowed them to recover from the first movement control order (MCO) last year.
“This is further supported by the decision to not impose a MCO in Sarawak recently, instead continuing with the existing conditional movement control order (CMCO).
“The state government has and will continue to assist small businesses during Covid-19 and we are sure if there is a need for further assistance to be given, it will be rolled out in due time.
“Sarawak DAP should not be politicising the issue to score cheap publicity, using the plight of the traders to establish the party’s relevancy,” it said.
