PRIME Minister Muhyiddin Yassin announced today that all ministers and deputy ministers will not take salaries for three months starting this June to help in the fight against the pandemic.

He said the salaries will be contributed to the Disaster Trust Account to finance expenses related to Covid-19 pandemic.

Muhyiddin said the ministers and deputies will give up three months of their salaries to show their support in the fight against the pandemic, just like they did in the first movement-control order.

Muhyiddin said as the country goes into lockdown, the closure of economic sectors will have a tremendous impact on the national economy and the lives of the people. 

“I want to be frank that the government has very limited fiscal space to spend at the moment,” he said.

“However, on the basis of concern for the welfare of the people, the government will make every effort to ensure a balance between lives and livelihoods, the need to protect lives, and ensure the well-being of the people, including the opportunity for Malaysians to earn a living for their loved ones during this period.”

He said since the pandemic, the government has implemented various assistance and economic stimulus packages amounting to RM340 billion.

To date, Muhyiddin said, it has benefited more than 20 million households as well as more than two million businesses with an economic injection of over RM200 billion.

“There is more than RM100 billion more than the value of the stimulus package to be channelled throughout the year.

“In addition, the package is complemented by the Budget 2021 initiative amounting to RM322.5 billion.”

Muhyiddin added that with the fiscal injections and measures that have been announced by the government there is economic recovery.

“We can see the economy recovering, illustrating the positive outcomes and impacts to continue to boost economic growth, support business and provide assistance to the people and sectors of the economy affected.” – May 31, 2021.