DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng claims that the Yang di-Pertuan Agong is sympathetic of more financial aid to help the rakyat weather the ongoing lockdown.
“During my audience with the king two days ago, I had brought up the matter of the financial plight faced by the ordinary rakyat needing government assistance to survive.
“The king was sympathetic to an automatic bank loan moratorium, except (for the) T20 group, and more financial aid to save jobs and businesses,” said the former finance minister in a statement today.
At present, banks are extending a three-month loan moratorium to the B40 group as well as anyone who has lost their job as well as small and medium enterprises (SMEs) which can’t operate during the total lockdown.
They can also opt to have their repayment quantum reduced by 50 percent for six months instead.
Lim said that under the current moratorium for B40s, banks are deferring loan payments without waiving interest which eventually results in higher cumulative loan payables.
Previously, the former finance minister had disagreed with his successor Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz’s claim that Putrajaya was unable to force banks to extend the automatic loan moratorium to the M40 group.
“The PN government conveniently forgets that emergency powers can be exercised in the national interest during this period to compel the banks without any cost to the government,” he said.
Lim also noted the SME Association of Malaysia’s revelation that at least 50,000 SMEs could go out of business if the ongoing lockdown were to last for another four weeks.
Previously, the association’s chairperson Michael Kang said 40 percent of SMEs had been forced to suspend their businesses.
Lim’s statement follows a series of meetings held by the Agong this week to discuss the country’s Covid-19 situation with various political and royal leaders. - Mkini
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.