DPM will ensure no more 'back doors' to reopening factories – Umno Youth

 

Umno Youth chief Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki said newly appointed Deputy Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob will prioritise the rakyat’s demands, including ensuring firm action is taken against factories that account for a large portion of the Covid-19 cases in the country.

Asyraf (above) said this is one of 10 demands delivered to Ismail at noon today to improve assistance provided to the people.

“(Ismail) is very committed and has agreed to make all rakyat’s demands his priority after being appointed as deputy prime minister.

“Not only that, God willing, on the issue of the enhanced movement control order, he would also ensure firm action will be taken and no compromise would be made that would allow factories that contribute to viral infection to open easily.

“No back doors will be opened; moreover it will be locked as tight as possible,” Asyraf said in a Facebook post today.

For the record, it was previously reported that Malaysia recorded 186,610 Covid-19 cases from June 1 to July 1. Workplace clusters comprise 29,972 cases (16 percent) of the tally, of which 18,065 cases (9.7 percent) are in the manufacturing sector.

There are 227 clusters linked to the manufacturing sector, of which 85 are detected in Selangor.

Most Covid-19 cases are now sporadic cases compared to earlier outbreaks, where most cases are linked to specific clusters.

Police check on a factory in Selangor to ensure that the SOP during the EMCOis followed

Nevertheless, factories have been linked to large outbreaks in the past, particularly the Teratai cluster that is the largest known cluster up to May 29, when the Health Ministry stopped providing regular updates on Covid-19 clusters.

Meanwhile, another proposal presented by Umno Youth to the deputy prime minister today includes expediting the Covid-19 Special Assistance so it can be provided before August, since the people are in dire straits.

The wing also urged the government to simplify the appeal process so it can be done without supplying various documents to prove a reduction in income.

“Bureaucratic requirements will burden the people, especially the M40 income group that would only receive RM250, out of concern that the cost of the appeal would not be worth it.

“The Internal Revenue Board should take account of the latest data, since many in the M40 now fall into the B40 since early this year during the second movement control order, and now deteriorate further under the third MCO,” Asyraf said.

In addition, Asyraf said the i-Citra scheme should be improved by providing lump-sum withdrawals, instead of staggering it into monthly withdrawals, and the amount that can be withdrawn should be higher, depending on the contributor’s savings.

The Employees Provident Fund should also simplify the process for contributors to withdraw from Account 1, and allow larger withdrawals for T20 and M40 income earners.

On the moratorium on loan repayments, Asyraf said banks should not charge interest on the period where payment is deferred since this would raise the cost of borrowing for those who opt-in for the moratorium.

The moratorium offer should also be expanded to loans provided by government agencies, such as the Public Sector Home Financing Board, he said. - Mkini