GEORGE TOWN – Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said he is ready to direct the Penang government to work with federal agencies on ensuring the smooth implementation of Budget 2021.
“There is a lot of financial assistance to cushion the impact of Covid-19. I will direct our state government to work with federal agencies to ensure the Budget allocation and financial assistance reach the people and economic sectors in Penang.”
Bayan Baru MP Sim Tze Tzin took to Twitter to say he had expected better initiatives to revive Malaysia’s ailing economy.
“I found no new ideas. Most programmes are just a continuation from (the previous) Pakatan Harapan government.”
With regard to allocation, he said Grab drivers and food operators nationwide, including in Sabah, are taking a hit due to the shortage of tourists.
He termed Budget 2021 “uninspiring”.
Seberang Jaya assemblyman Afif Bahardin, however, praised the Budget, retweeting the Finance Ministry’s Prihatin cash aid for needy families.
“This is Perikatan Nasional’s commitment.”
Meanwhile, the country’s creative industry will get a RM15 million boost to aid its revival.
The funds are allocated to the Cultural Arts Economic Agency (Cendana) for the implementation of various programmes.
It is expected to benefit more than 5,000 people, said Finance Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz.
However, there is no mention of how artistes who are not under Cendana stand to benefit.
As many Malaysian artistes are often paid on a project basis, Covid-19 has made the arts and culture industry particularly vulnerable, said Tengku Zafrul.
In an earlier keynote address at the Creative Economy 2021 Forum, held in conjunction with Budget 2021, he said there needs to be synergy between the private and public sectors to buoy the creative industry. – The Vibes, November 6, 2020
