KOTA KINABALU – The Sabah government has approved an additional RM160 million for Bantuan Prihatin Covid-19 to help those hard-hit by the pandemic.
This is inclusive to the RM50 million approved by the state government early this month.
"The funds is to be disbursed through various ministries in the form of monetary aid.
"It will benefit those in agriculture, tourism (guides, porters, divemasters), transport (taxi, bus, lorry), as well as hawkers, orphans and single mothers, among others," said Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor after chairing the weekly cabinet meeting here on Wednesday.
"From this amount, RM1 million will be channelled to universities to help institutes of higher learning students affected by the pandemic."
Hajiji also announced the establishment of the Sabah Economic Council to discuss a way forward on the state’s economic recovery.
He said membership of the council to be announced soon will comprise captains of ndustries, businessmen, non-governmental organisations and academicians.
On October 1, it was reported the Sabah government had allocated RM50 million to eradicate the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic apart from helping the affected people in the state.
An amount of RM10 million from the fund was used to provide food baskets containing basic foods to residents in four districts namely Tawau, Semporna, Lahad Datu and Kunak which are now declared as red zones due to the increased numbers of Covid-19 infection. – The Vibes, October 29, 2020
