SULTAN of Perak, Sultan Nazrin Shah, today approved an allocation for a special relief fund worth RM14.6 million to help people affected by movement control order (MCO) 3.0.

Perak Islamic Religious and Malay Customs Council (MAIPk) president Mohd Annuar Zaini said Sultan Nazrin realises the MCO’s direct impact, especially among tithe recipients, the poor and those with non-fixed income, and ordered MAIPk to set up the special relief fund.

He said Sultan Nazrin also understands the heavy task currently faced by front-liners, who require certain medical equipment and medicines to overcome the pandemic, besides being concerned on the welfare of personnel of the security forces who are also front-liners now in the fight against Covid-19.

“Due to this, Sultan Nazrin ordered MAIPk to provide the special fund and approved RM14.6 million for it. This includes survival emergency assistance totalling RM10.9 million for household heads.

“The relief fund is also for MAIPk’s monthly financial aid to recipients whose incomes are affected due to retrenchment, closed businesses, given leave without pay because employers have to cease operations or for any other reasonable grounds,” he said in a statement today.

Annuar said Sultan Nazrin also agreed for MAIPk to provide sponsorship for medical equipment and medicines that are urgently needed by the Perak Health Department for front-liners’ use, worth RM606,000.

He said RM400,00 will also be given to Covid-19 front-liners, which will be channelled through agencies for their welfare.

“The special fund also caters for tablets and Internet data packages for entrepreneurs from the tithe group to conduct online businesses and to Form 5 students from hardcore poor and poor households, altogether worth RM1.5 million.

“Besides that, for Perak undergraduates who are studying overseas such as in Egypt, Jordan, Indonesia and other countries, Oversea Students Welfare Aid is also provided with an allocation of RM200,000,” he said.

Annuar said the special fund will also hand over aid worth RM400,000 to Muslim orphanages and elderly care centres, as well as food supplies to education institutes and donations to temporary homeless centres under the Perak state government, with allocations of RM200,000 respectively.

A total of RM200,000 is also allocated for the MAIPk Covid-19 Vaccination Programme, to bear the vaccination cost for groups whose vaccinations need to expedited,” he said.

According to Annuar, MAIPk is also exempting rent payment and waqf property lease worth RM98,000 and baitulmal properties worth RM50,000, at the agency’s premises and business sites, for June.

“MAIPk is also studying the exemption period depending on whether the MCO 3.0 will be extended or not,” he added. – Bernama, June 10, 2021.