KUALA LUMPUR, July 22 — The government has been urged to provide a RM90 million fiscal injection to Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia (AIM) which would enable it to help micro and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) post-Covid-19.
AIM is a private trust that serves as a microfinance institution, providing capital financing, savings and healthcare financing assistance.
Datuk Amiruddin Hamzah (Bebas-Kubang Pasu) said AIM should extend its timeline for loan repayments, as many micro entrepreneurs had been adversely affected by the Covid-19 crisis.
“They might still not be able to run their business as usual due to other constraints,” he added.
“Taking into account AIM’s monthly expenses and its management cost of RM15 million per month, I would like to propose for the government to inject RM90 million to AIM which will allow it to provide an additional six-month moratorium to 379,000 AIM members,” he said at the parliamentary session today.
Amiruddin said previously, AIM financing recipients have been exempted from repayments until June 7.
He also suggested for the government to assist other micro financing agencies to enable them to extend the moratorium period for micro businesses and SMEs. — Bernama
