The following is a transcript of Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg’s announcement of the state government’s sixth package of Bantuan Khas Sarawak involving 1.4 billion.
The following is a transcript of Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg’s announcement of the state government’s sisth package of Bantuan Khas Sarawak involving 1.4 million.
Based on the increasing trend of daily Covid-19 cases in Sarawak, the government has decided to take stricter and more stringent measures to curb the spread of the deadly virus from getting worse in our society. These measures have been announced by the State Disaster Management Committee chairman yesterday.
This move will certainly affect us all. However, the government has to take this difficult action to ensure the safety, health and lives of all of us. The five Sarawakku Sayang Special Assistance (BKSS) packages worth more than RM3.1 billion implemented by the Sarawak government previously have certainly succeeded in reducing the burden of the people.
The BKSS 6.0 I’m announcing today encompasses 15 measures which have been decided by the Sarawak government to continue our financial assistance to the people as a result of the implementation of the movement control order (MCO) and conditional movement control order (CMCO). Eight of the measures involve cash payouts and the remaining seven measures involve discount incentives.
Eight measures involving cash payout
1) Incentives for B40 households and single individuals aged 21 and above.
Each head of household (KIR) will receive a monthly allowance of RM250 for a six-month period from July 31 to Dec 31 while the B40 single individuals aged 21 and above are to receive a
one-off aid worth RM500 starting Aug 31.
The list of aid recipients is based on all previous BKSS recipient data including the list of Bantuan Prihatin Rakyat (BPR) 2021 recipients. Payment will be credited into their respective bank accounts and those who do not have a bank account can claim from any Bank Simpanan Nasional branch.
This measure will involve the Sarawak government’s expenditure of RM970 million and will benefit more than 1.0 million recipients.
2) Special monthly allowances for frontliners fighting this Covid-19 pandemic in Sarawak.
The Sarawak government also greatly appreciates the contributions and sacrifices of frontliners who were directly involved during this pandemic and exposed to the risk of infection while on duty.
In this regard, I agree to allocate special monthly allowances to them for six months, namely:
• RM300 for health personnel comprising medical doctors, nurses and medical assistants who have been working tirelessly in hospitals, clinics and quarantine centres across Sarawak;
• RM200 for immigration officers and staff who serve at border posts across Sarawak;
• RM200 for police and state operations room personnel who have been on duty to ensure public safety and peace;
• RM200 for Armed Forces Malaysia personnel who have defended the borders;
• RM200 for Rela personnel who help to ensure public safety and peace;
• RM200 for Customs personnel who guard the entry points along the borders, ports and airports in Sarawak;
• RM200 for local authorities personnel who are involved in emergency service, checking works and sanitisation across Sarawak;
• RM200 for Bomba and rescuers who are involved in emergencies and sanitisation works especially in Covid-19 high-risk areas; and
• RM200 for Civil Defence Department personnel who help the police and Armed Forces in the implementation of MCO.
The Sarawak government will spend more than RM27 million to pay for these allowances.
3) Incentive for media personnel in Sarawak.
The Sarawak government appreciates the sacrifices and contributions of media personnel who face the risk of Covid-19 infection while on duty in Sarawak.
Therefore, a one-off incentive worth RM1,500 will be given to each media personnel and this will cost the Sarawak government RM900,000.
4) Grants through Sarawak Pay for hawkers and petty traders who are registered with the local authorities through Sarawak Pay.
Hawkers and petty traders are the most affected by this pandemic. Therefore, the Sarawak government will provide a special grant of RM1,500 to hawkers and petty traders registered with the local authorities where it will be paid in two stages, namely RM750 in July and RM750 in December this year through Sarawak Pay.
5) Incentives for boat operators registered with the Sarawak Rivers Board.
The outbreak of Covid-19 has caused a drastic decline in penambang (boat) users throughout Sarawak, especially tourists and this has affected their income.
Therefore, a one-off cash assistance of RM500 will be given to registered boat operators in Sarawak.
This assistance worth RM100,000 will benefit 200 operators to help them reduce their financial burden during this pandemic.
6) Incentives for registered passenger van operators, taxi drivers, bus drivers and school bus drivers.
The Sarawak government is very concerned about the loss of the source of income of registered passenger van operators, taxi drivers, bus drivers and school bus drivers in Sarawak as a result of this pandemic.
Therefore, the Sarawak government will provide a one-off RM600 incentive to 960 passenger van operators, 1,980 taxi drivers and 740 bus and school bus drivers registered in Sarawak.
This assistance will cost RM2.20 million
7) Financial assistance for e-hailing drivers and those conducting driving lessons.
A one-off RM500 incentive worth RM1.6 million will be granted to e-hailing drivers and driving school instructors. Payment will be made through Sarawak Pay.
This will involve an expenditure of RM1.6 million.
8) Special assistance to licensed tourist agencies, licensed homestay operators, licensed tourist vehicle drivers and licensed drivers at national parks.
Tourism industry is the most affected by this pandemic. It has caused travel agencies in Sarawak to lose their source of revenue due to the cancellation of visits by tourists and the lack of bookings for the next six months.
To ensure that the tourism industry survives and continuity of services in the tourism sector, the Sarawak government will provide financial assistance amounting to RM1.63 million on a one-off basis, namely:
• RM3,000 for 216 licensed tourist agencies;
• RM600 for 568 licensed homestay operators;
• RM1,500 for 219 registered tourist guides and 173 registered national park tourist guides in Sarawak; and
• RM500 for 99 licensed tourist vehicle drivers.
Seven measures involving discount incentives
1) Electricity bill discounts
Discounts between five and 25 percent on electricity bills for domestic, commercial and industrial consumers will continue from July to December this year.
This discount, which involves an allocation of RM166.8 million, will benefit 647,000 households, commercial and industrial consumers throughout Sarawak.
2) Water bill discounts.
Discounts between 10 and 25 percent for domestic, commercial and industrial consumers will continue from July to December this year. These incentives totalling RM32.1 million will benefit more than 647,000 households in Sarawak.
3) Discounts for assessment rates.
A 25 percent discount on assessment rates valued over RM400 and 30 percent discount on assessment rates valued below RM400 for residential, commercial and industrial premises from July to December.
This will benefit 185,000 premises with the Sarawak government bearing a total cost of RM54 million.
4) 50 percent discount on rents for markets and stalls.
This discount will continue from July to December to benefit more than 10,000 hawkers who rent markets and stalls from the local authorities. The Sarawak government is spending RM1.7 million on this.
5) 50 percent discount for the rental housing schemes under the Housing Development Corporation (HDC).
This discount will continue from July to December to benefit more than 3,200 renters at an estimated cost of over RM2.6 million.
6) Payment exemption for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) operating at premises owned and managed by government-linked companies (GLCs) in Sarawak.
The Sarawak Government will continue to exempt rent payments to small and medium entrepreneurs (SMEs) operating in business premises owned by GLCs such as Sarawak Economic Development Corporation (SEDC), Land Custody and Development Authority (LCDA) and Bintulu Development Authority (BDA) for another six months from July to December this year.
This will involve a cost o f RM2.0 million
7) Food baskets for households affected during the MCO.
To ensure the welfare of the people in terms of access to basic food supplies, the Sarawak government will implement a food basket programme for affected households throughout Sarawak.
An allocation of RM250,000 will be distributed according to the respective state constituencies which will be managed by Sarawak government agencies.
A total of RM25.5 million is allocated including transportation costs.
BKSS 5.0 measures which are still in implementation.
There are 11 initiatives in BKSS 5.0 that are still under implementation, which will also benefit the people of Sarawak, namely:
• 30 percent discount on land tax;
• Land premium payment postponement;
• Business permit and licence fee exemption;
• Hotel and boarding houses licence exemption;
• Graduates Towards Entrepreneurship (Gerak) and Technical and Vocational Entrepreneurship Programme (USTEV);
• Sarawak Micro Credit Scheme for SMEs;
• Benefit subsidy for Targeted Relief And Recovery Facility (TRRF);
(8) Abolishment of two percent interest rates to zero percent for three and a half years under Micro Credit Scheme;
• Pinjaman Industri Kecil dan Sederhana (SPIKS);
• Sarawak Go Digital programme; and
• Digital Marketing training.
Conclusion
I hope that the measures in BKSS 6.0 which involve an expenditure of RM1.4 billion, including the measures that are being implemented, can help ease the burden borne by all of us during these difficult times. The Sarawak government is always thinking of the best measures in implementing initiatives to help ease the burden of the people.
The Sarawak government also prioritises the safety and wellbeing of the people.
Along with my friends in the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS), I will continue to contribute and serve for the sake of Sarawakku Sayang.
Thank you.
