Kuching: DAP Sarawak Chairman Chong Chieng Jen has questioned the Sarawak government’s latest special assistance package, saying it has totally neglected the business community.
In a statement today, Chong said no assistance was given to the general business community in the State in the announcement made yesterday by Sarawak Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg.
“While we welcome the discount for the rental of hawkers and traders operating in markets and stalls owned by local authorities, the 50% rental discount to the tenants of the State GLC company-owned property will not benefit 99.9% of the SMEs in the State.
“The Government must recognise the importance of the business sector to our state’s economy and the general well-being of the employees,” he said.
Chong stressed that, in light of the sudden sharp increase in the costs of logistics and supplies, the State should provide financial assistance to the SMEs in our State.
“Recently, the Federal Minister for Entrepreneur and Co-operatives Development, YB Steven Sim, has announced the low-cost business financing amounting to RM15 billion, an increase of RM5 billion from the initial RM10 billion.
“The Federal Government has also allocated RM15 billion in 2026 to fund the Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah (STR) and Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (SARA),” he said.
Chong said that, in addition, the Federal Government has increased the petrol and diesel subsidy from RM700 million per month to RM4,000 million per month (an increase of approximately RM3 billion per month).
“Despite the tens of billions allocated by the Federal Government, it is still insufficient to help many local SMEs to tide over this difficult time. With the more-than-RM10 billion annual revenue of the Sarawak Government (likely to be more as oil prices have shot up), we expect more to be done than what was announced yesterday.
“The economic crisis created by the Iran War is unprecedented in recent history, since the Second World War,” he said.
Chong pointed out that, instead of planning to spend ten to twenty billion for the new Kuching Airport (matching the Doha Airport), the State Government can easily allocate RM5 billion to help the local business sector by financing interest payments, providing loans and grants, and covering logistics costs.
“Moreover, the Sarawak Government, with its Development Bank of Sarawak (DBOS) and the newly acquired Affin Bank Berhad, is in the best position to roll out such assistance to our business sector.
“The question now lies, whether there is a political will of the GPS Government to help the SMEs in Sarawak?” he questioned.
Chong then called on the State Government to postpone multi-billion-dollar spending on extravagant, non-productive projects and to return to basics by providing financial support to local SMEs through grants, partially free interest loans, and matching funds.
