IPOH, March 18 — The Perak state government will provide special assistance to about 4,000 hawkers and small traders, in the form of a one-off payment of RM500 each, following the imposition of the nationwide Movement Control Order effective from today until March 31 to curb the spread of Covid-19.
Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu said the assistance would soon be given to all hawkers and traders registered with local authorities in Perak.
“The total cost of this aid is estimated to be almost RM2 million,” he said in a statement today.
In addition, the state government will bear half of the rental of food stalls under the purview of all local authorities for the months of March and April — this initiative will cost more than RM770,000.
To honour the 1,500 Perak Health Department front liners involved in the fight against Covid-19, the state government will sponsor lunches and dinners over a two-week period, Ahmad Faizal added, explaining that this will cost nearly RM200,000.
He added that a special allocation of RM160,000 made possible by the state government and some state government-linked companies, would be used to purchase additional equipment needed by health department personnel. — Bernama
