CORONAVIRUS | The Pakatan Harapan secretariat has criticised the new economic measures announced by the government today, saying most Malaysians do not benefit from them.
Instead, the Harapan secretariat called for emergency funds be dispersed to Cost of Living Aid (BSH).
The opposition also said several Harapan-held state governments would be allocating funds to state assemblypersons regardless of political leanings, to be used to help constituents mitigate the effects of Covid-19.
“Malaysians are informed of the economic ‘help’ announced by (prime minister) Muhyiddin Yassin at 1pm today.
“For most people mentioned by Muhyiddin (small businesses and hawkers affected by the outbreak), there is actually no clear help being allocated to them in the announcement,” said the Harapan secretariat in a statement.
“They (the people) who are allowed to withdraw from their EPF should realise this does not actually help but (they are) taking from their own savings for their old age.”
The statement was signed by PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, Amanah communications director Khalid Samad and DAP national organising secretary Anthony Loke.
Instead, the secretariat further proposed that the Perikatan Nasional government issue emergency funds to BSH recipients of RM1,000 for March and April respectively.
“The cost to be borne by the government is RM8.2million,” they said.
Harapan also announced that Johor and Selangor state governments would allocate RM20,000 and RM30,000 respectively to all state representatives regardless of party affiliations for further help to tackle the effects of the health pandemic.
It said this was in answer to the premier’s call for everyone, regardless of political leanings, to join together to face the crisis, and calls on the government to do the same in other states.
‘Exempt tax for other medical equipment, too'
However, in an earlier statement, Harapan lauded the Finance Ministry and Customs Department’s decision to exempt the import duty and sales tax of face masks, effective today.
The statement by the secretariat, this time signed by Saifuddin, Khalid and DAP assistant political education director Ong Kian Ming, reminded the government of the need to exempt the taxes of other medical equipment used in combatting Covid-19, including ventilators and personal protective equipment (PPE) such as gloves.
"This will encourage the supply of critical medical equipment via local production and through imports.
"We urge the Customs Department to expedite the import process of critical medical supplies to curb the bottleneck," it said.
The secretariat also calls on the government to regularly update on the number of vital equipment such as face masks, sanitising and testing kits, PPE and ventilators in the country.
Healthcare frontliners are demanding more medical equipment, including masks, testing kits and PPE.
The government recently placed an order for 10 million masks and other medical equipment to overcome the shortage.
Putrajaya was criticised for being unable to provide its healthcare frontliners with proper protection with both PPE and other vital equipment being in short supply.
Videos and images of hospital staffs making protective suits out of garbage bags and plastic material went viral on social media. - Mkini
Maybe PN government think the poor without epf should be left out like they left out opposition control states in the corvid19 meeting recently. Maybe they just forgot the poor without epf.
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