Press Statement By Violet Yong:
The Sarawak Government is urged to expedite the payment of the Sarawakku Sayang Special Assistance (BKSS) 6.0 of RM1500 for petty traders and hawkers announced by Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg on May 28 this year.
The Sarawak Government promised to pay each recipient RM1500 in two payments whereby 1st payment RM750 shall be made in July and the balance of RM750 in December.
It is now the month of July, yet the state government has not come out with further announcement on how soon the money will be disbursed. If the government is sincere and intends to help cushion the economic blow from the Covid-19 pandemic on the petty traders and hawkers, there is no reason to further delay the payment of the money to all eligible recipients.
These petty traders and hawkers are among the most vulnerable and have suffered the most due to Covid-19 Pandemic. For eateries, the State Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) has since implemented many strict standard operating procedures (SOP) including the shortening of business hours, no dine-in, the controlling of number of customers entering the premises at any one time, the work force capacity etc. Hence, these entire tightened SOP have somehow or rather affected the business operation and caused their sells to drop tremendously. We have even seen many of the eatery places closed down for not able to sustain the loss
For those struggling petty traders and hawkers, they are in dire need of this BKSS fund from the state government.
The state government is reminded that whatever measures rolled out from the government to assist the people should not be used as a carrot-and-stick approach to fish for votes near election time but to implement them as soon as possible to benefit the targeted recipients.
Violet Yong
ADUN Pending
19.7.2021
