Increase amount of wage subsidy – KKCCCI
KOTA KINABALU: The Wage Subsidy Programme under the Prihatin Rakyat Economic Stimulus Package announced by the Federal Government should be further enhanced by increasing the amount of subsidy from RM600 and removing the conditions required for employers to apply for the assistance.
Kota Kinabalu Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KKCCCI) president Datuk Michael Lui said most small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and small business owners were facing dire cash flow constraints.
He said the government should also listen to SMEs' grievances that the economic stimulus package failed to provide practical assistance to alleviate their predicament.
While the existing financial aid could temporarily ease the cash flow problem and operational costs of businesses, Lui said the government must look into formulating mid and longterm plans to assist business owners and enable them to have increased cash flow to sustain their operations through these trying times.
"We hope that the government will take the necessary measures to sustain SMEs amid the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.
"If the SMEs could not survive and have to resort to closure, there will be massive layoffs which will result in economic recession."
Meanwhile, Lui urged Sabahans to support and cooperate with the Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Shafie Apdal's measures to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus (Covid19) as the country entered the second round of Movement Control Order (MCO) that will be enforced till April 14.
He said the State Government has taken effective measures, including banning foreigners from entering Sabah and barring inter-district travel, to reduce mobility and lower the risks of transmission in effort to break the chain of infection in the State.
Lui also welcomed the good news that Shafie was in the midst of getting medical experts from China to help Sabah amid the Covid-19 outbreak.
"We believe the Chinese medical experts will share their experience and train our healthcare and frontline workers to boost their capability and knowledge on fighting against the pandemic."
He also lauded Shafie's seriousness in resolving the shortage of reagents for Covid19 tests by instructing the State Health Department and federal Ministry of Health to obtain more protective equipment including the reagents.
"The State Government is doing everything it can to fight the coronavirus.
"We, Sabahans, should also do our part by complying with the MCO."
He also urged the people to have confidence in the State Government's ability to overcome the pandemic.
"We hope everyone will unite so that Sabah can be the first state to end the MCO.
"Let's together make Sabah the safest State that is free from Covid-19."