GEIS-新闻详情

Malaysia unveils additional $48b aid package as Covid-19 lockdown is extended

2021-06-28 00:00:00.0 海峡时报-亚洲原网页

KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin on Monday (June 28) announced an aid package worth RM150 billion (S$48.4 billion) as a full lockdown is extended to curb the spread of Covid-19.

The Pemulih package, which includes cash aid, wage subsidies and a moratorium on loan repayments, aims to help households and businesses affected by Covid-19 while the country remains under phase one of its National Recovery Plan to restore its economy.

"RM10 billion will be in the form of a direct fiscal stimulus," Tan Sri Muhyiddin said in a national televised address on Monday.

"I'm aware of how hard things are for Malaysians after a year of battling the pandemic... I understand that aid should continue to be given out until things are more stable."

Full lockdown measures have been enforced in Malaysia since June 1 to limit the spread of the coronavirus. Movement restrictions that had been scheduled to be eased on Monday were instead extended indefinitely as daily cases persistently exceeded the 4,000 mark and hospital patients in intensive care units remained at a critical rate.

A third indicator that can signal the easing of restrictions is when 10 per cent of the population receives two doses of the Covid-19 vaccine.

Last month, Mr Muhyiddin announced a RM40 billion stimulus package for the economy to combat what has been the most serious Covid-19 wave in the country.

The implementation of the package, dubbed the Pemerkasa Plus programme, was criticised by some lawmakers, with only RM5 billion used in the form of a direct fiscal injection.

On Monday, Malaysia recorded 5,218 new Covid-19 cases, bringing the number of infections in the country since the pandemic began to 739,266.