PETALING JAYA: A group calling itself the National Covid-19 Economic Recovery Steering Committee said it has submitted a memorandum to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah, to help address various challenges due to the pandemic.

       In it, the group – claiming to represents 80 industry and business associations – said that the emergency declaration has failed to prevent the further spread of the virus.

       “Companies and businesses can no longer survive a lockdown, and the government must be fair to all business sectors,” its spokesman, Datuk Tan Poh Seng, said during a virtual press conference yesterday.

       In the memorandum, the committee listed nine proposals, including that the government respect the advice and strategies provided by professionals.

       Tan said that accelerating vaccinations should be a priority, and that the government must provide simple procedures as well as coordinate with private clinics.

       The group also asked that vaccination priority be granted to the industrial and commercial sectors in order to restore the economy and reduce unemployment and business closures.

       It wanted traditional Chinese medicine to be allowed and for Bank Negara Malaysia to provide an automatic and unconditional moratorium to individual and business borrowers during the lockdown.

       It requested that the government direct water and electricity authorities or companies to immediately stop charging users until the lockdown is lifted.

       The group also urged full cooperation with non-governmental organisations to set up food distribution centres across Malaysia for the needy.