Photo: Filepic/The Star
THE second economic stimulus package announced by Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin on Friday is a relief for people facing severe hardship due to the necessary imposition of the movement control order (MCO), which has resulted in many experiencing a loss of income.
In this extraordinary situation brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic, the government has no choice but to put cash into the people’s pockets to ensure they have money to spend, as former Bank Negara deputy governor Tan Sri Dr Lin See Yan pointed out. And we need to spend and spend wisely to stimulate the economy. Raising the special allowance for frontline workers from RM400 to RM600 a month from April until the end of the Covid-19 outbreak is very appropriate considering their tireless efforts that put them at risk of being infected. The special allowance of RM200 a month for police, military, civil defence and Rela members who are directly involved in implementing the MCO is also welcomed, especially considering their challenging task of dealing with all those who flout the “stay at home” order.
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