KUCHING – While businesses across the nation have been strapped for cash, particularly since the outbreak of Covid-19, the plight of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and petty traders in Sarawak appears to be given short shrift by the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) government.
State DAP chairman Chong Chieng Jen says this has prompted him to call on the state government to allocate financial assistance to these sectors.
“During the first outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic in early 2020, there were announcements about BKSS (Bantuan Khas Sarawakku Sayang).
“Though such financial assistance may not be able to fully cushion the economic impact of the pandemic, surely, it would help lessen the suffering of the people.
“Since then, all sectors, except e-commerce, have taken the hit for a full one-year period.
“Most businesses and petty traders have been operating at a loss or have barely survived for the past one year, exhausting their cash reserves and savings,” said Chong.
He said the people and businesses are in more need now of cash assistance compared with a year ago.
“Yet, the Sarawak government has not allocated funds to aid hawkers, small traders, businesses and SMEs.
“Also, no official announcement is forthcoming on any plans to assist these sectors,” he said.
He said with the burgeoning third wave of the pandemic, the struggle of the everyman is increasing.
“Though the state Disaster Management Committee refuses to call it a MCO and maintains that Sarawak is only under CMCO, the state’s CMCO SOPs are similar to the MCO SOPs in other states in the country.
“No dine-ins are allowed, nor group sports activities, while trading hours and manpower at workplaces are restricted.
“While we acknowledge the fact that we need the MCO or the CMCO to curb the pandemic, the government should not turn a blind eye to what’s happening – the setbacks faced by businesses and the suffering of the people as a result of the CMCO or MCO.
“The state government has admitted that it has RM26 billion in reserve funds to help the people and business sector at this difficult time; it only needs to allocate 10% of this reserve fund,” he added.
According to Chong, if even the most prudent government of Singapore can use its reserves to help the business sector and its people, why then has the GPS government not utilised part of its reserve fund to help the people of Sarawak?
Thus, Chong proposed the following breakdown for the utilisation of the funds:
- a RM1,500 cash handout be given to every hawker and petty trader in Sarawak;
- RM500 million interest-free loans be provided to Sarawak SMEs;
- a RM100 million grant be given to SMEs in Sarawak for e-commerce and digitalisation transformation;
- 50% wage subsidy provided to Sarawak SMEs for three months to maintain their workforce; and
- direct grant assistance for sectors that have been ordered to shut down operations and those in the tourism sector.
“We urge the state government to put the people’s interest at heart.
“This is the time to help the people and there is no point for the government to keep saying that Sarawak is rich and has a lot of reserves when such riches are not utilised to help the people during difficult times.” – The Vibes, May 14, 2021
