In a televised address, Muhyiddin Yassin said the relief package named Pemerkasa Plus involves RM5 billion in direct fiscal injection.
The aim of the package is to boost public health capacity, ensure the wellbeing of the people, and support the sustainability of businesses.
“This is our commitment to ensure the public health system does not collapse and continues to function,” said Muhyiddin.
Putrajaya will spend RM1 billion to boost public health capacity, with RM450 million to be spent on increasing beds and ICU capacity for Covid-19 patients in public hospitals, university hospitals and field hospitals.
Some RM550 million will be spent on Covid-19 expenses for several agencies including running quarantine centres, additional manpower and medicines, among others.
Those in the B40 and affected by losses of income, as well as SMEs not operating during the lockdown are eligible for a three-month automatic loan moratorium.
They may choose to take up the moratorium or pay back their loans at a 50% lowered rate over six months. This will involve some five million borrowers with a value of RM30 million, said Muhyiddin.
He also said the government is allocating RM2.1 billion to increase the amount of Bantuan Prihatin Rakyat payments of between RM100 to RM500, depending on the household size.
A RM1 billion scheme will be introduced for taxi and bus operators that will give them a 12-month moratorium on hire-purchase agreements.
Taxi, bus and e-hailing drivers will also get a one-off aid of RM500. This will involve RM68 million.
To boost the roll-out of the national immunisation programme, Muhyiddin said government assets such as buses and other vehicles will be mobilised to help those facing difficulties reaching vaccination centres.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, Putrajaya has rolled out over RM300 billion in stimulus packages.
Business groups have called for the government to help companies affected by the lockdown, especially through loan moratoriums, wage subsidies, and discounts on utility bills among others.
The stamp duty exemption under the home ownership campaign will be extended to Dec 31. It was supposed to end today.
The wage subsidy programme will also be extended for all affected industries, capped at 500 staff. This will cost the government RM1.5 billion and benefit 2.5 million employees and some 200,000 employers.
Discounts on power bills
Also extended until the end of the year is the sales and service tax exemption for motor vehicles, in both completely knocked down and complete built up forms.
He also said the government will extend electricity bill discounts given to affected sectors. This will provide hotels, tour agencies, shopping malls, theme parks, and airline offices with a 10% discount for three months up to September.
Another highlight of the package is that the Inland Revenue Board will consider appeals against penalties and postpone penalty payments until next year.
The Companies Commission of Malaysia (SSM) will also allow extensions for public companies listed on Bursa Malaysia to send in their financial statements and to hold their annual meeting at a later time.
There will also be a moratorium on fines for those who are late in submitting statutory documents to SSM, while late payments for the renewal of business licenses will be exempted until Dec 31 for micro-SMEs.
Improvements will be made to the existing law enabling relief measures, with protection for failure to service contractual obligations extended to Dec 31.
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