Business federation calls state govt’s one-off RM10,000 aid a huge relief

Sarawak Business Federation (SBF) has lauded the state government’s special oneoff financial aid of RM10,000 for active businesses in Sarawak, calling it a huge relief to businesses affected by the Covid19 pandemic.

SBF president Datuk Abang Karim Tun Openg said members were grateful for the one-off financial assistance under Sarawakku Sayang Special Assistance (BKSS) 7.0.

“SBF lauds the announcement of the chief minister that Sarawak government will give a special one-off financial assistance of RM10,000 to active businesses in Sarawak registered with Social Security Organisation (Socso) as of Dec 31, 2020 under BKSS 7.0 package and would like to especially express its gratitude and appreciation to the Sarawak government for its generosity.

“This BKSS 7.0 is a huge relief to the businesses suffering financially from the impact of Covid-19 pandemic,” he said in a statement Wednesday night.

Abang Karim, who is also Sarawak Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) president, said SBF was grateful that Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg had considered the requests of the business community.

“This shows that our chief minister is truly genuine in reaching out to help businesses adversely impacted by the Movement Control Order (MCO) and that the BKSS 7.0 is the fruitful result and positive response of the engagement session in which the Sarawak government obtained feedback from business associations and trade guilds on July 1,” he said.

Abang Karim added that businesses would hopefully leverage on this opportunity to move forward.

Presently, SBF is made up of 16 member business associations and trade guilds across Sarawak.

On Wednesday, Abang Johari announced that the Sarawak government will provide a special one-off financial assistance of RM10,000 for active businesses in the state under BKSS 7.0.

He explained this special oneoff assistance, one of the three measures under BKSS 7.0, will be given to companies registered with Socso as of Dec 31 last year.

The chief minister said such assistance is given following requests from the business associations and federations for financial assistance to sustain their businesses, particularly to cover their operational costs, including rental and wages of their employees, especially for small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

The measure is expected to help to ease the financial burden of approximately 40,000 active businesses in Sarawak and will cost the government direct expenditure of more than RM400 million.

The special financial assistance will be paid in two tranches — half in September and the remainder in December.