PUTRAJAYA has allocated RM120 million to provide financial assistance to workers who have been forced to take unpaid leave due to the Covid-19 epidemic.

Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said the government will pay affected employees RM600 every month for a maximum of six months.

“A total of 33,000 employees are expected to benefit from the measure,” he said today after chairing the inaugural Economic Action Council in meeting in Putrajaya.

Those who have been served with a notice of unpaid leave from March 1 and who earn not more than RM4,000 a month and are eligible for the Employees Insurance Scheme will be eligible for aid.

A 15% discount on electricity will be given to affected commercial enterprises, including in the tourism sector, for a period of six months from April 1 to September 30.

Putrajaya has also announced a 2% discount on electricity for domestic consumers as well as the commercial, industrial and agricultural sectors. 

The government has set aside RM500 million for the exercise that is set to benefit some 10 million accounts.

The payment of the RM200 cost of living aid, scheduled for May, will be brought forward to today.

An additional payment of RM100, announced by former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad when he presented the ueconomic stimulus package on February 27, will be paid out to five million BSH recipients in May.

Muhyiddin said RM2 billion worth of small rural development projects will commence in April.

“The execution will be monitored by the chief secretary to the government and a weekly report will be given to the prime minister,” he added.

The projects are awarded to small-time Bumiputera contractors.

Projects such as the East Coast Rail Link, MRT2 and National Fiberisation and Connectivity Plan will continue to maintain investor confidence.

“I must take the opportunity to tell businesses and investors that we understand your problems,” he said.

Muhyiddin said he expected the Covid-19 problem to be “transient.”

Meanwhile, Muhyiddin also presented the members of the Economic Action Council.

They are the international trade and industry and finance and economy ministers, the Bank Negara governor and tycoons and industry experts.

Among them are EAC chief Dr Noor Azlan Ghazali,  The Edge chairman Tong Kooi Ong, Mercy Malaysia founder Dr Jemilah Mahmood ,Celcom Axiata Bhd managing director Jamaluddin Ibrahim, Westports Malaysia chairman G. Gnanalingam and Sunway Group chairman Jeffrey Cheah. – March 16, 2020.