See Chee How
KUCHING: The federal government should simplify the process in allowing small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to access the facilities provided for under the Prihatin Package for SMEs (Additional Measures), most particularly the employees’ subsidies to help alleviate the wage cost burden for SMEs, said Batu Lintang assemblyman See Chee How.
Besides that, See said the government should waive the qualification conditions which include a 50 per cent reduction in revenue, RM4,000 wage ceiling subsidy and a host of supporting documents which are making it tedious for the companies to comply.
“In addition, the federal government should consider a six months’ moratorium towards delaying statutory income tax payments that would ease the companies’ cashflow problem during this period of which they are affected by the Covid-19 pandemic and the movement control order (MCO),” he said in a press statement today.
See was commenting on the additional stimulus package for SMEs that was announced by the Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin on yesterday.
See said he welcomes the additional RM10 billion allocations granted by the federal government, targeting at helping the SMEs through expanded employees’ subsidies, a special grant for micro SMEs, waiver of interest rates for the Micro Credit Scheme.
He noted that the additional economic stimulus package also included a rental exemption or discounts for SMEs operating on premises owned by government-linked companies, and tax breaks for landlords that give rental discounts or exemptions.
“I am particularly heartened with the expanded employees’ subsidies which is a job-support scheme to fund the private sector salaries and wages to assist employers to sustain the salaries and wages of their employees.
“This is a prudent and judicious undertaking to help keep our workers stay employed to sustain the livelihood of their families and to help the country’s economic recovery and growth.”
However, See cautioned the federal government against letting bureaucratic red tape involved in accessing the facilities, and the unnecessary terms and conditions hamper such efforts.
“The processes for the SMEs to apply and have the benefit of the stimulus measures must be kept to a minimal to be effective.
“However, I would recommend that the employers be required to declare their undertaking to retain their workers for the next six months as the country weather through the pandemic and move forward in its economic recovery.”
See said what is still lacking is a mechanism to register the daily paid workers who are not the salaried workers and may have been left out of the various stimulus packages announced and implemented by the government.
“Without any income during this period of the MCO, the administration should reach out to them to ensure that the families of these daily paid workers will not be deprived and living in destitute.”