KUALA LUMPUR, March 27 — The Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) lauded the government’s RM250 billion economic stimulus package announced today, saying that it will help alleviate the people’s burden directly from the economic impact of the Covid-19 outbreak.
Its secretary-general J. Solomon said the handouts amounting to RM10 billion for the lower and middle income groups, as well as the three-month subsidy programme to help companies avoid retrenchment were most appreciated as businesses are suffering from losses of more than 50 per cent.
“Workers in these companies earning less than RM4,000 in salaries will get RM600 for three months.
“We therefore trust the employers will extend cooperation for the aid given by the government for businesses and urge them to take serious note of the PM’s advice to avoid retrenchment and wage cuts,” he said in a statement here today.
“We are also pleased that the government kept its pledge to help workers in the informal sectors as well as small traders, fishermen and rubber tappers. This will help them to some extent of keeping afloat in the coming months,” he said.
Solomon also commended the policy for allowing the rescheduling of EPF contributions and rent freeze for public housing.
“We are happy that for the first time, this stimulus package has given reasonable emphasis on the rakyat which MTUC has been embarking on ever since the breakout of the pandemic crisis,” he said.
He, however, urged the government to come up with a delivery mechanism free of bureaucratic red tape, which he said could hold up the much-needed aid.
“In the coming days, we trust the government will quickly release information on how the rakyat and workers can obtain the direct cash assistance announced today by the prime minister without much cumbersome procedures,” he said.
