BKSS 5.0 welcomed, but govt can inject more – MTUC

KUCHING: Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) Sarawak Chapter and Sarawak Bank Employees Union (SBEU) believe that the Sarawak government can inject more money into alleviating the sufferings of Sarawakians during this pandemic.

MTUC Sarawak Chapter secretary-general and SBEU chief executive officer Andrew Lo said they welcomed the Bantuan Khas Sarawakku Sayang (BKSS) 5.0 announced on Thursday, but believed the state government could do more, not only alleviate the people's sufferings but also to stimulate the economy by putting more money into the economy.

Lo said the Sarawak government should provide wage subsidy to employers to help maintain employment among workers due to the federal government's abject failure to provide much needed support to the private sector.

He said the government should not be spending billions on grandiose projects like the proposed Malaysia-Indonesia border wall and the 'absolutely bonkers second highway from Biawak to Lawas'.

These funds could be channelled to implementing Sarawak's own Wage Subsidy Programme (WSP). He said in a statement yesterday.

"Grandiose projects including 7G, LRT (light rail transit), and second trunk road only put money into selected few contractors who more often than not park their wealth outside Sarawak. Any job creation (from these projects) will be shortterm, and are for thousands of foreign construction workers," he pointed out.

Lo said workers would benefit directly and have disposal income when cash is made available to employers through WSP.

"This in turn will increase domestic consumption and sustain business in the state."

Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg announced on Thursday that the BKSS 5.0 would help Sarawakians cushion the economic impact arising from the Covid-19 pandemic.

The RM405 million package contains 11 measures to be implemented for the first half of this year.

Among the measures are the extension of discounts on utilities, rent and assessment rates and exemptions on business licence and permit fees.