SARAWAK today rolled out its 16-point Covid-19 special assistance package targeting frontline personnel, households and business communities.

Chief Minister Abang Johari Openg said the economic assistance – costing the state government RM1.15 billion – was aimed at those “who at this time needed support the most” and to protect the wellbeing of Sarawakians.

The state is giving across-the-board discounts on electricity and water bills for the next six months.

Domestic, commercial and industrial consumers will be given discounts of 5% to 25% on their monthly electricity bill for April until September.

The discounts will benefit more than 680,000 consumers.

Abang Johari said the electricity discount will cost the state government RM27.8 million a month, with the cumulative cost for the six months RM166.8 million.

Domestic consumers will receive 25% discount, commercial consumers in the C1 to 3 categories 15%, industrial 10% and industrial consumer in the I3 category 5%.

Sarawak will cut water bills to more than 568,000 customers by between 10% and 25%.

The state will also provide financial assistance to 430,000 Sarawakians in the B40 group, who will receive a monthly cash sum of RM250 for the next six months till September.

“This measure will cost Sarawak government RM645 million,” the chief minister said.

Meanwhile, Abang Johari said the state government would like “to honour the personal sacrifice and commitment of the frontline personnel directly at risk from Covid-19 while performing their duty in managing the outbreak in Sarawak”, by giving them a special monthly incentive for the next six months.

He said at least 6,200 doctors, nurses and medical personnel in hospitals and clinics will receive RM300 a month, while 535 immigration officers manning the entry points on the state’s border, airports and ports will receive RM200 a month.

Some 3,400 policemen on front-line duty and state civil service officers manning the state disaster management operations room will get RM200 a month, as will 590 soldiers deployed to the Sarawak-Kalimantan border and those helping to maintain law and order.

Some 590 Rela personnel will also receive the RM200 monthly financial assistance.

For the business people, Abang Johari said there will be a discount of 50% for rental of market and stalls for the next six months, targeting more than 10,000 hawkers in the state.

The chief minister also said there is also a waiver for the estimated 2 million permits and licences fees to traders, hawkers, night market traders, tamu and Ramadan bazaars.

“This will ease the burden of the rakyat that will cost Sarawak government RM8.24 million, “ Abang Johari said.

The state is also giving 185,000 private and business owners a discount of 25% on annual assessment rate above the RM400 threshold to residential, commercial, industrial and special purpose holdings for the year.

For more than 140 entrepreneurs in the small and medium scale enterprises (SMEs), the government has allowed the deferment of their loan repayments under the small and medium industries loan scheme by nine months effective from next month.

He also announced an additional of RM20 million to top up the earlier RM30 million state budget funding to the microcredit scheme for all SMEs.

Abang Johari said the state government would provide a 30% discount for land rent, deferment of payment of land premiums and waiver of hotel and lodging house license fees, targeting more than 1,700 land owners.

The premium includes agricultural land, residential, commercial and industrial properties as well as private and public institutions.

More than 3, 200 tenants of Housing Development Commission homes will receive a 50% discount on their rent for the next six months.

On the health front, the state government will distribute 2 million free face masks.

Abang Johari said the state government had placed an order for the masks from China and they will be flown in directly within seven days.

Apart from the monetary incentive, the state government will also purchase personal protective equipment (PPE), testing and diagnostic kit for hospitals and clinics.

The purchases will cost the state RM10 million. – March 23, 2020.