It’s time to help boost the economy

HAVE you been out shopping recently? Have you bought food from your favourite hawker? If the answer to both these questions is yes, then you are playing your part in supporting SMEs and trying to help revive the economy.

A whopping 98% of all business establishments in the country are SMEs. These small businesses have been devastated by the pandemic and the resulting lockdown, but for those that have survived so far, December could prove a crucial month in staying afloat.

Yes, the conditional movement control order in the Klang Valley is still in place owing to high Covid-19 cases, but the authorities have lifted travel restrictions as well as restrictions on the number of people dining out. This indicates that while it is important to maintain SOP when dealing with the virus, it is equally important that consumer spending increases.

And with the year-end holiday season and Christmas around the corner, December could just be the lifeline that SMEs need.

My first visit to a mall in more than two months was an eye opener. I went to a large shopping centre over the weekend to buy Christmas presents and was impressed with the level of health and security checks.

Even though there was a large number of people, physical distancing was in place and the outlet ensured only a certain number of people was allowed inside the mall at any one time.

While it is good that the National Security Council has had a rethink on the conditional MCO in certain states, it is also no secret that many Malaysians are still very conscious about going out. Lest we forget, the virus is still on the rise and thriving and the pandemic still exists.

A good number of Malaysians have disposable income and although they will want to splurge this December, it is up to us to be responsible even as we go out and help retailers.

It is more a question of economic survival, hence the decision by policymakers to relax lockdown rules. But for large parts of Selangor and Kuala Lumpur, the conditional MCO will remain until Dec 20.

The authorities were right in lifting certain restrictions but continuing with the conditional MCO in the Klang Valley which contributes almost 40% of Malaysia’s GDP is counter-productive. By all means, implement a complete lockdown in neighbourhoods or townships with clusters or high number of cases, but the recovery MCO will suffice in the rest of the Klang Valley.

We are going into one of the most opportune times for retailers, F&B outlets and businesses in general as the year comes to an end.

Most automotive dealers have also reported bumper car sales. Traditionally, December has been a period when auto brands push their stock. The Sales and Service Tax exemption will ensure consumers will find choice deals right until Dec 31 when the exemption runs out.

The government’s decision to rescind an interstate travel ban was just the tonic that many in the industry were hoping for and one that will result in Malaysians travelling again.

The travel industry is reliant on the domestic market as Malaysia has closed its borders to those from outside the country.

The Malaysian Association of Hotels is now calling on locals to reinstate cancelled plans for year-end holidays and take advantage of special deals curated by hotels for the domestic market.

But while holidaymakers target popular destinations such as Langkawi, Penang, Ipoh and even Genting Highlands, they should not forget other less travelled destinations around the country that have also come up with exciting offers.

It is not only hotels and resorts that will see a knock-on effect from allowing interstate travel, airlines, one of the worst-hit industries this year, are already experiencing a surge in online bookings.

Those who have yet to catch the travel bug should also consider weekend hotel stays in the city. Kuala Lumpur hotels are offering unheard of rates that also include F&B vouchers. These offers are timely for families who do not want to travel but would like to enjoy a weekend getaway.

As we begin to get back to some semblance of what our lives used to be, we are also increasingly reliant on information from the Ministry of Health. MOH’s daily numbers help us to evaluate the risk level of something as simple as going to the mall.

That is why it is important to have clear definitive data to indicate where the Covid-positive numbers are, what are the contract tracing efforts being done and what are the areas to be conscious about.

MOH has a chance to help the economy for the last three weeks of this very devastating year. How the ministry manages and shares data, and most importantly, how transparent they are with the data will be vital to the country’s recovery efforts.