KUALA LUMPUR: The government is tapping into more data compiled by various ministries to narrow down its assistance to individuals and businesses that are still reeling from the year-long health pandemic, Finance Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Aziz said.
"We are holding discussions at the finance and relevant ministries level on how we can help, especially in the sectors that are still affected by this epidemic," he said.
The discussions and data compiled would be used to come up with new range of measures.
"This will be announced in the near term," he told the media during a presentation highlighting the Ministry of Finance's (MoF) successes and achievements for the past one year.
Last year, the government rolled out a wide rage of economic stimulus measures totalling RM305 billion. In January, it unveiled PERMAI, its fifth economic stimulus package worth RM15 billion spread over 22 initiatives aimed at combating the COVID-19 outbreak.
Apart from these, the government allocated RM322.5 billion in Budget 2021, the largest budget in Malaysian history.
However, some businesses and individuals, especially those involved in the tourism sector remain on a shoestring as borders are yet to be opened.
Tengku Zafrul said companies in the tourism sector are among those that still need help as they are still unable to resume operations.
In addition, he said the assistance is aimed at ensuring it could help support the recovery process of the companies in the sector, which also comes with an exit strategy (of the pandemic) involving the vaccination programme.
Immunisation is a key for the economic recovery, he stressed.
In helping the nation cope with the pandemic, the Perikatan Nasional, which celebrated its one-year anniversary on Feb 28, has crafted the 6R recovery plan comprising six stages -- Resolve, Resilience, Restart, Recovery, Revitalise and Reform.
Under its second National Economic Recovery Plan's (PENJANA) objective to propel the local businesses, it has allocated RM1 billion allocation to assist the tourism industry.
However, based on the weekly Economic Stimulus Implementation and Coordination Unit Between National Agencies (LAKSANA) report released on weekly basis by the ministry, the uptake seems lukewarm.
As at Feb 19, the 43rd LAKSANA report stated that there were 579 applications for this financing, of them 282 applications have been approved with a total financing of RM57.1 million.
Commenting on this, Tengku Zafrul said the slow uptake of the assistance was due either companies closing their businesses or scaling down operations, hence, they see no point in applying for the RM1 billion allocation.
"As business people, they told us that they needed some plan going forward on when we are opening the industry, but we can't have that plan yet as it is subject to the number of COVID-19 cases.
"So, if companies running a hotel business don't want to borrow yet as they are not sure of their revenue since they cannot restart operations, maybe the tourism sector needs other kinds of help. And InsyaAllah, we will also announce something to support this industry," he said.
Separately, via its 43rd LAKSANA weekly update, the minister said the government will formulate additional measures in the near future to provide targeted assistance to vulnerable groups.
He said the additional measures are aimed at assisting the poor, as well as those who lost their income; and increase support for businesses, especially businesses that are still unable to operate; and businesses that are in the process of re-opening post-movement control order.
Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, in February, said the government will announce an additional strategy in the middle of March to help revive the economy and mitigate the adverse economic impact of COVID-19.
"InsyaAllah, next month (March) I will announce a comprehensive strategy, I just discussed this with the Finance Minister. I will announce what the real strategy is, so that we can get out of the current problem faster and our economy will become more vibrant.
"Just wait, I will announce that, maybe in the middle of March," he had said.
-- BERNAMA
Bernama
Sat Mar 06 2021
Tengku Zafrul said companies in the tourism sector are among those that still need help as they are still unable to resume operations. BERNAMA pic
Inisiatif IHH Healthcare lancar pemasangan panel solar wajar jadi contoh - Fadillah Yusof
IHH Healthcare Malaysia mencatatkan pencapaian baharu dengan melancarkan inisiatif pemasangan panel solar di seluruh rangkaian hospitalnya sekali gus menjadikannya pelopor.
Ahmad Zahid ucap tahniah kepada Farah Ain
Ahmad Zahid mengucapkan tahniah kepada atlet boling padang Nor Farah Ain Abdullah yang muncul juara pada Kejohanan Boling Padang Dalam Dewan Dunia 2024.
Raih RM31 juta sejak ditayangkan! Sheriff kini filem no. 1 di Malaysia
Berita gembira ini turut disokong oleh abang Syafiq, Syamsul Yusof yang turut bangga dengan kejayaan naskhah yang dihasilkan adiknya.
Letupan bom Sungai Golok: PDRM tingkat kawalan keselamatan sempadan Malaysia-Thailand
PDRM mempertingkatkan kawalan keselamatan di sempadan Malaysia-Thailand susulan insiden letupan bom dan bunyi tembakan di Sungai Golok.
Pemain ragbi meninggal dunia selepas perlawanan pasukan pilihan MB Kedah
Seorang bekas pemain Sukma Kedah meninggal dunia selepas menyertai perlawanan pertunjukan pasukan pilihan Menteri Besar Kedah pada Ahad.
OCC: Masih banyak usaha perlu dibuat dalam isu hak kanak-kanak
Masih banyak yang perlu dilakukan kerana Malaysia masih ketinggalan berbanding negara lain dalam menangani isu penderaan dan masalah sosial melibatkan kanak-kanak.
iPad Pro mungkin dijana dengan cip Apple M4 terbaharu, fokus ciri AI
Cip Apple M4 dijangka memfokuskan kepada keupayaan enjin neural yang disertakan bersama dengannya membolehkan ia menawarkan ciri AI yang lebih baik.
Lebih 840,000 permohonan untuk London Marathon 2025 pecah rekod dunia
Jumlah permohonan untuk menyertai larian TCS London Marathon tahun depan telah memecahkan rekod dunia.
WEF: Anwar jumpa 50 pemimpin industri & perniagaan, yakin pelabur bernilai tinggi pilih Malaysia
Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim menzahirkan keyakinan lebih banyak pelabur bernilai tinggi akan memilih Malaysia sebagai destinasi pelaburan mengikut jejak langkah syarikat-syarikat gergasi seperti Tesla, AWS, Infineon dan Nvidia.
AWANI Ringkas: Ikut jejak syarikat gergasi lain
Ikuti rangkuman berita utama yang menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari di Astro AWANI menerusi AWANI Ringkas.
Bersatu ambil tindakan susulan terhadap enam ahli Parlimen - Muhyiddin
Bersatu sedang melaksanakan tindakan susulan terhadap enam ahli Parlimennya yang menyokong Perdana Menteri selepas meminda Perlembagaan parti bulan lalu.
PRK Kuala Kubu Baharu: Kerajaan Perpaduan akan dibebani isu semasa - Muhyiddin
PRK ini bakal jadi referendum untuk rakyat suarakan pandangan yang disifatkan Muhyiddin sebagai perasaan tidak puas hati.
Kes saman Ahmad Zahid terhadap Muhyiddin selesai secara baik
Kes saman yang difailkan Timbalan Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi terhadap bekas Perdana Menteri Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, selesai secara baik di Mahkamah Tinggi hari ini.
PRK Kuala Kubu Baharu: Khairul Azhari Saut diumumkan sebagai calon PN
Pemangku Ketua Bahagian Bersatu Hulu Selangor Khairul Azhari Saut diumumkan sebagai calon Perikatan Nasional (PN) bagi Pilihan Raya Kecil (PRK) Dewan Undangan Negeri (DUN) Kuala Kubu Baharu.
Panel lima hakim Mahkamah Rayuan akan dengar permohonan Muhyiddin
Muhyiddin memohon bagi mendapatkan kebenaran menyemak keputusan panel sebelum ini yang mengembalikan semula empat pertuduhan salah guna kuasa membabitkan RM232.5 juta terhadapnya.
Muhyiddin tidak layak beri kenyataan selagi gagal bantu panggil menantu hadapi tuduhan pecah amanah - Fahmi
Katanya, Muhyiddin gagal membantu pihak berkuasa meminta menantunya yang menghilangkan diri untuk tampil bagi menghadapi pertuduhan.
Peruntukan pembangkang: 'Kalau ikhlas, tak perlu ada MoU' - Muhyiddin
Tidak perlu ada memorandum persefahaman (MoU) jika Kerajaan Perpaduan ikhlas untuk memberikan peruntukan kepada Ahli Parlimen pembangkang, kata Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.
PRK Kuala Kubu Baharu: PN muktamad calon esok, umum 25 April - Muhyiddin
PN memuktamadkan calon bagi Pilihan Raya Kecil (PRK) Dewan Undangan Negeri (DUN) Kuala Kubu Baharu esok dan dijangka mengumumkan calon mereka pada 25 April ini.
Muhyiddin mohon lima hakim dengar permohonan semakan
Muhyiddin mohon semakan kehakiman bagi mencabar keputusan yang mengarahkan kes rasuah berjumlah RM232.5 juta.
Saya bersedia berhadapan sebarang kemungkinan yang berlaku - Syed Abu Hussin
Syed Abu Hussin menjelaskan sebagai seorang politik beliau perlu sentiasa bersedia dalam apa jua kemungkinan yang bakal berlaku.