KUALA LUMPUR, March 22 — DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang has joined others to call for the government to consider measures to help businesses and workers whose income has been affected since the 14-day movement control order (MCO) was implemented.

Lim, who is also the Iskandar Puteri MP, said the Malaysian government should emulate what the UK government has planned, which is to cover 80 per cent of workers’ pay amid the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak.

"The UK Chancellor Rishi Sunak pledged to do ‘whatever it takes’ to save people’s jobs and livelihoods through the coronavirus pandemic when he unveiled an unprecedented wage boost to his Covid-19 rescue package.

"He announced that the UK government would pay 80 per cent of wages for employees not working, up to £2,500 (RM12,904.30) a month,” he said in a statement today.

Following a spike in Covid-19 cases, London is among several areas in the UK to announce a 12-week lockdown to prevent rampant spreading of the Covid-19.

To aid daily wagers, the UK government has announced its intention to pay the wages of employees unable to work due to the coronavirus pandemic, in a radical move aimed at protecting people’s jobs.

Sunak said the "unprecedented” measures will stop workers being laid off due to the crisis.

The Malaysian government has yet to announce its plan for daily wagers who are unable to operate their businesses.