KUCHING: Sarawak People’s Aspiration Party (Aspirasi) is asking the Sarawak government to provide an emergency basic income (EBI) of RM500 to all Sarawakians aged 18 and above for six months.
Its chairman Buln Ribos said he is making this call because he feels there is a desperate need to help Sarawakians who have lost their income during the movement control order (MCO) period and soon their savings will be finish as well.
“Hunger can cause the worst of social instabilities and this dire strait needs to be addressed immediately,” he said in a statement yesterday.
He conveyed his appreciation to the state government in putting the business community and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in their help list but is of the opinion that this assistance would not be as helpful as they wish.
“To simply put, the businesses would not go well with consumers who have no money to spend.
“Our call for EBI would help the state’s economy through direct cash injection that would generate money flow and stimulate demand for goods and services, as supply without demand would not revitalise the economy,” he said.
He also reminded the state government not to utilise tax payers’ money and treasury reserves to the credit of politicians and political parties, where assistance should be channelled through the relevant government institutions.
“We hope the peoples’ welfare will be managed efficiently during the Covid-19 pandemic and government programmes to alleviate their suffering will be managed with urgency and efficiency,” he said.
Buln also urged all Sarawakians to remain calm, stay home and observe the directives from the authorities to overcome Covid-19.
