Chief minister Abang Johari Openg said the aid, under the Bantuan Khas Sarawakku Sayang 6.0, would involve 15 initiatives: nine types of one-off and monthly payments to frontliners, affected sectors, small businesses and the B40, and six types of discounts.
He hoped that the financial aid will help Sarawakians to cope with the effects of the reinstated statewide movement control order (MCO). Sarawak had been under conditional MCO before that.
Abang Johari said the previous five aid packages were worth RM3.1 billion.
He promised that each B40 head of household would receive RM250 per month for a period of six months from July 31 to Dec 31, with singles in this category aged 21 and above set to receive RM500 on a one-off basis from Aug 31. He said one million Sarawakians will benefit from this and it will cost the government RM970 million.
Meanwhile, more than a total of RM27 million will be allocated as a special monthly allowance for frontliners in Sarawak over the next six months.
Health personnel, which include medical doctors, nurses and medical staff in hospitals, clinics and quarantine centres throughout Sarawak, will receive RM300. Police personnel, army, immigration officials, customs officials, fire and rescue officials, Rela, staff at state operation rooms and local authorities will receive RM200.
Members of the media are set to receive a one-off payment of RM1,500, with RM900,000 expected to be allocated for this.
Hawkers and petty traders will receive RM1,500 to be paid out in two stages; RM750 in July and RM750 in December. Abang Johari said RM97.5 million has been set aside for this.
A one-off cash assistance of RM500 will be given to owners and operators of registered mines in Sarawak, which is set to benefit 200 mine owners and operators and will involve a RM100,000 payout.
Passenger van operators, taxi drivers, bus and school van operators registered in Sarawak will receive RM600 each. The initiative is set to benefit 960 passenger van operators, 1,980 taxi drivers and 740 school bus and van operators. Around RM2.2 million has been set aside for this.
E-hailing drivers and driving school instructors will receive RM500 on a one-off basis, which will involve RM1.6 million in expenditure.
Noting that the tourism industry has been badly affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, Abang Johari said the state government has set aside a one-off sum of RM1.63 million to ensure the industry’s survival.
Of this total, 216 licensed travel agencies will receive RM3,000, 568 licensed homestay operators will receive RM600, and the 219 tourist guides and 173 national park tourist guides will receive RM1,500. A total of 99 licensed tourist vehicle drivers will receive RM500.
Regarding the various discounts, Abang Johari said a 5% to 25% discount on monthly electricity bills for domestic (25%), commercial (15%) and industrial (5% to 10%) consumers will continue for another six months from July to December. The discount will benefit 647,000 such accounts across the state, with the total cost of this electricity bill discount estimated at RM166.8 million.
A 10% to 25% discount on monthly water bills for domestic, commercial and industrial consumers will also continue from July to December, with the total cost of this water bill discount amounting to RM32.1 million.
Abang Johari also unveiled a 25% discount on assessment rates more than RM400 and a 30% discount on assessment rates less than RM400 for residential, commercial, industrial and special holding premises from July to December. The total cost of the discount is estimated at RM54 million and will benefit 185,000 premises.
Meanwhile, local councils will continue providing a 50% discount on market and stall rentals for traders and hawkers from July to December. The total cost of the discount is estimated at RM54 million and will benefit 10,000 registered hawkers.
Other discounts include the continuation of the 50% discount on those renting units under the Housing Development Corporation’s (HDC) housing scheme, which will benefit more than 3,200 tenants to a tune of more than RM2.6 million.
The state will continue its rental exemptions on SMEs operating in business premises owned by statutory bodies and state GLC companies for another six months from July to December, with this rental exemption set to involve RM2 million.
Abang Johari added that RM250,000 will be distributed to state assemblymen but managed by Sarawak state agencies, with the state government to fork out RM25.5 million on this.
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