Expedite BKSS 6.0 payment to petty traders, hawkers — Rep

Pending assemblywoman Violet Yong has urged the Sarawak government to expedite the RM1,500 payments under the Sarawakku Sayang Special Assistance (BKSS) 6.0 to petty traders and hawkers.

She said as announced by Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg on May 28 this year, the Sarawak government would give each recipient RM1,500 in two payments, whereby the first payment of RM750 would be made in July and the balance in December.

“It is now the month of July, yet the state government has not come out with further announcement on how soon the money will be disbursed,” she said in a statement yesterday.

Yong pointed out that these petty traders and hawkers are among the most vulnerable and have suffered the most due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

“For eateries, the State Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) has since implemented many strict standard operating procedures (SOP) including the shortening of business hours, no dine-in, limitation of the number of customers entering the premises at any one time, the workforce capacity et cetera.

“Hence, these entire tightened SOP have somehow or rather affected the business operations and caused their sales to drop tremendously. We have even seen many of the eateries closed down for not able to sustain the loss,” she said.

Yong said to cushion the economic blow from the Covid19 pandemic on the petty traders and hawkers, there was no reason to further delay the payment of the BKSS money to all eligible recipients.