The Prime Minister, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin made a last-minute decision on Tuesday to impose MCO 3.0 nation-wide from May 12 to June 7, 2021 and in the hurry and flurry, he announced it without the benefit of a live telecast as was his wont last year when he wanted to make important announcements.
However, the government failed to follow through the MCO 3.0 decision with a multi-billion ringgit MCO 3.0 economic stimulus plan for the poor and vulnerable groups in the country.
The question which the Prime Minister and all Cabinet Ministers, as well as leaders of the Perikatan Nasional coalition should be asked, is when the Prime Minister is going to have a live telecast to announce a multi-billion ringgit MCO 3.0 economic stimulus package especially for the poor and vulnerable groups in the country.
Is the Finance Minister, Tengku Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz and his staff working overtime to finalise details of the multi-billion ringgit MCO 3.0 economic stimulus package or there will be no economic stimulus package for the poor and vulnerable groups this time?
This is also the time for the country to express its appreciation for the dedication and sacrifices of the frontliners in the Covid-19 pandemic which has lasted for over a year, and the MCO 3.0 economic stimulus package is an apt occasion for expressing such a special appreciation to the frontliners.
The Director-General of Health, Noor Hisham Abdullah made a very touching “battle cry” to the frontliners when he visited the Health Ministry personnel at Hospital Putrajaya today, the first day of Aidilfitri:
“The war is still on and Health Ministry (MOH) personnel are the last line of defence to break the Covid-19 chain of infection. Let’s battle on and give it our best shot to free the country from this pandemic.”
More than 1,200 people in Malaysia had died of Covid-19 since the declaration of emergency on January 12, 2021, as the cumulative total of Covid-19 deaths on January 12 was 559. This has now increased to 1,761 Covid-19 deaths as of yesterday.
The Muhyiddin government has claimed in Parliament last year that it has made its “utmost priority to protect the lives above all else”.
It has failed in this regard.
I call on the Muhyiddin Government to make amends and to announce a multi-billion ringgit MCO 3. economic stimulus package to save lives and livelihoods of Malaysians, especially the poor and vulnerable groups.
When MCO 1.0 and 2.0 were imposed, there were government assistance in the form of loan moratorium, cash assistance, grants for small businesses and wage subsidies.
Why are such assistance absent now?
(Media Statement (2) by DAP MP for Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday, 13th May 2021)