SARAWAK rolled out its sixth Covid-19 assistance package totalling RM1.4 billion to assist citizens who are expected to be severely impacted by the new two-week lockdown from tomorrow.

Of the 15 initiatives Chief Minister Abang Johari Openg announced today, 11 are extensions from the fifth assistance, officially known as the Sarawakku Sayang special assistance package, that was rolled out in February last year.

“I hope the measures in the Sarawakku Sayang special assistance package 6.0 will help ease the burden incurred by all of us during this difficult time,” the chief minister said ahead of the state tightening the curbs under the movement control order (MCO) to bring down the Covid-19 infections that is recording 600 to 700 new cases daily.

He said each head of households in the B40 (bottom 40% income group) will be given a cash payment of RM250 per month for a period of six months beginning July 31.

Single B40 individuals, who are 21 and above, will also receive a one-off cash payment of RM500 which they will receive on August 31.

This cash payment will cost the state government RM970 million and will benefit more than one million recipients, the chief minister said.

The chief minister said the state government appreciates the contribution and sacrifice of the frontliners who are directly involved in the management of the pandemic and are exposed to the risk of infection while performing their duties.

They will be given a special monthly allowance of between RM200 and RM300 a month for the next six months.

Doctors, nurses and health personnel in hospitals, clinics and quarantine centres will each receive RM300 while various enforcement officers will receive RM200 each.

These include immigration officers and staff stationed at border control posts, police officers and personnel at the state operations room, soldiers, Rela personnel, customs and excise officers stationed at all border entrances, ports and airports, staff of local authorities, Fire and Rescue Services Department personnel and members of the Civil Defense Force.

Abang Johari said this special monthly allowance will cost the government more than RM27 million.

The 11 initiatives extended from the earlier package to assist the ordinary man-in-the street, the petty traders, hawkers include the 30% discount on quit rent; suspension of payment of land premium; exemption of permit and business license payment and exemption of hotel and guesthouse license payment.

He added that the Sarawak micro credit scheme for small and medium enterprises; subsidy for targeted relief and recovery facility; abolition of 2% of interest rate to 0% for three and a half years under the micro credit scheme; small and medium industry loan scheme will be continued.

The petty traders and hawkers, the chief minister said, will be most impacted by the new standard operating procedure of the MCO which ends on June 11.

To alleviate their financial distress, Abang Johari said these registered hawkers and petty traders will each receive RM1,500. They will receive RM750 in July with the remainder in December.

This financial assistance will cost the Sarawak government RM97.5 million.

Even the small boat operators who ply their trade across the many rivers in the state ferrying passengers from the village to the towns and bazaars on the opposite side, known locally as the penambang, are also being assisted.

Around 200 of them are to get a one-off RM500 cash assistance.

School bus and van operators, e-hailing drivers, driving instructors, licensed home-stay operators, tourist bus drivers, and national park guides are also assisted in the package.

Water and electricity bill discounts are also continued. – May 28, 2021.