THE COVID-19 pandemic has brought hardship to a total of 9,502 small and medium enterprise (SME) traders in Kedah, the State Legislative Assembly heard.
Kedah youth and sports, tourism, arts and culture, entrepreneur development and cooperative committee chairman Mohd Firdaus Ahmad said the state government carried out several initiatives to assist the traders, including extending the six-month Kedah Micro Credit Loan Scheme repayment moratorium to 20 eligible entrepreneurs.
“Besides that, the implementation of the Post-Covid-19 Micro Credit Loan Scheme received 130 new applications that are being processed, ” he said when replying to a question from Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir (Independent – Jitra) at the Kedah state assembly.
Mohd Firdaus said the government also provided the Teraju Fund Grant initiative worth RM3,000 to 27 eligible entrepreneurs involving financial implications of RM81,000.
He said tenants of commercial premises owned by the local authorities were given a reduction of up to 50% in their rental fees of retail spaces in all districts.
“There is an exemption for late payment penalties during the movement control order period.
“The three-month rental payment exemption is extended to the tenants of Kedah State Development Corporation premises including the Halal Park, Ukir Mall, Central Square shop lots, Bukit Kayu Hitam industrial area and others, ” he said. — Bernama
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