Selangor allocates RM400 mil to tackle Covid-19: exco

SHAH ALAM – The Selangor State Legislative Assembly today was told that a total of RM400 million has been allocated by the state government to implement various programmes to address the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic, including assistance for frontliners.

State Public Health, Unity, Women and Family Development Committee chairman Dr Siti Mariah Mahmud said as a first step, a total of RM1.6 million was spent to conduct community screenings in the red zone areas and another RM1.36 million for targeted screenings including on those who returned from Sabah.

“This targeted screenings will continue until next year. The state government has also allocated RM690,000 to provide Covid-19 kits to 854 registered childcare centres statewide.

“Apart from that, the state government has allocated RM5.8 million to distribute face masks for free to all school students in Selangor, employees at state education department, district education offices, community service centres and all state civil servants to prevent the spread of pandemics at government premises,” she said.

She said this in her reply to a question from Dr Daroyah Alwi (Bersatu-Sementa) who sought clarification on the total allocation provided by the state government to curb the Covid-19 pandemic and additional initiatives to deal with the spread of the virus.

At the same time, she said that the Selangor government is also planning various new initiatives based on the pandemic current situation, including expanding screening test programmes targeting at-risk groups as well as improving the enforcement of standard operating procedures (SOPs) at the community level.

To help frontliners, the state government has provided additional initiatives, namely, to create temporary nurseries or childcare centres to look after the children of these groups, she added.

She said that for locations classified under the Enhanced Movement Control Order (EMCO), the state government has also been given the responsibility to contribute food supplies to those placed under quarantine as well as frontliners. – Bernama, November 9, 2020