AS OF end-2022, the accumulated outlays of Covid-19 Fund registered amounted to RM106.7 billion, or 97% of the total ceiling of RM110 billion, of which RM31 billion was spent in 2022.

The bulk of the allocation was channelled for cash assistance programme (RM40 billion), wage subsidies (RM24.3 billion) and Covid-19-related expenses to enhance health equipment and bedding capacity in hospital intensive care units as well as to procure test kits, reagents, medicines and sanitsers (RM5.3 billion), the Finance Ministry (MOF) said in its Updates on Economic & Fiscal Outlook and Revenue Estimates 2023 released today.

The government also reprioritised available allocation from the fund to partly accommodate spending for fuel and electricity subsidies amounting to RM6.3 billion and RM5.9 billion, respectively.

“It is to mitigate the impact of higher prices as well as continued additional support to vulnerable groups,” it said. – Bernama, February 21, 2023.