Muhyiddin: Additional incentives to boost economy, help those hit by pandemic

PUTRAJAYA: The government has announced additional initiatives to further boost the economy and help those whose livelihoods have been affected due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Announcing this, Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said that targeted assistance will be given and added that it will focus on vulnerable groups, especially the poor and those who had lost their jobs.

Muhyiddin said that the government will also provide support, especially to businesses which have yet to operate as well as those in the process of re-opening after the movement control order.

"Thirdly, we will give focus on the government's delivery system. This is to ensure that assistance is delivered to those who need it, that development projects be expedited and that bureaucracy be lessened to spur economic activities and encourage new investments.

"The government will give focus to digitalisation in line with it being a new source of wealth for the country and will further promote knowledge and innovation-based economic activities," he said during his special address in conjunction with the one-year anniversary of the Perikatan Nasional administration themed "Setahun Malaysia Prihatin".

The speech was delivered at a special gathering attended by Cabinet Ministers and senior civil servants at PICC.

Muhyiddin said that after a challenging year brought by the Covid-19 pandemic, the government is committed to ensure that 2021 will see better economic recovery for the well-being of the people.

"I am aware that even though the situation has begun to improve, there are those who are still facing a loss of income and entrepreneurs are facing difficulties to continue with their business," he said.

Muhyiddin said the government will formulate strategies to control Covid-19 infectivity and will take a more targeted approach by enforcing a tighter MCO in locations where clusters are reported.