ABOUT 10 years ago, my family opened a small factory in the Nilai industrial area to manufacture food flavouring products.

It was a modest set-up, an SME with 40-odd workers. We did reasonably well.

Over the years, the workers remained loyal to us and we decided to introduce a profit-sharing scheme. We did not lose a single worker after that.

Our workers were all locals from the surrounding neighbourhoods and we functioned as one family over the years.

We had just had a very good year and had rewarded our employees well when Covid-19 hit.

At the time, and even after the MCO was introduced, we did not think much about it and assumed  things would return to normal soon enough.  

Months passed and slowly but surely, our reserves began depleting and we were forced to introduce a 25% pay cut. Soon after that, things became worse and we had to cut pay by half.

Our workers were understanding and they stayed with us. We were also reluctant to let anyone go.

Unfortunately we were almost down to zero and were seriously contemplating throwing in the towel, which would leave about 50 families without any income at all.

Thank God it was just at that moment that the government dropped us a much needed lifeline through their numerous aid programmes, especially those pertaining to SMEs.

That aid came at such a crucial time, it helped us weather the remainder of the storm without having to lay off anyone.

We made it with the help of the assistance from the numerous packages offered by the government and today, we are slowly making good progress again.

I am not really sure who in particular I should thank for this assistance, but would like to extend my personal gratitude to Prime Minister, Muhyiddin Yassin.

I feel Muhyiddin personally understood the hardship we were facing and did all he could to assist us.

From the bottom of my heart, I want to say thank you to our prime minister from us here in Nilai. – March 24, 2021.

* Jeremiah Lee TS reads The Malaysian Insight.

* This is the opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insight. Article may be edited for brevity and clarity.