Hii Hiong Siu
SIBU (Oct 13): The Sibu Coffee Shop and Restaurant Owners’ Association is disappointed with the sudden need for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to produce relevant documents for the RM10,000 aid under the Sarawakku Sayang Special Assistance (BKSS) 7.0.
Association deputy general affairs officer Hii Hiong Siu said the move has makes it difficult for many businesses to qualify.
“When the government announced that they would give us the one-off financial assistance of RM10,000 to us and that it would be given to us directly, we were very happy.
“And now, we are left with the disappointment – not only we need to apply, but there are criteria and requirements for us to be eligible to receive the assistance,” he said.
According to him, some operators had to put workers on furlough during the Movement Control Order (MCO) to ensure their businesses could be sustained.
“I know associations have asked for the government to extend the deadline for the application submission, but I think it is rather disappointing that the government would change its mind regarding the assistance,” he lamented, adding that the application period was from Oct 7-22.
He pointed out that the state government had initially announced the aid would be given automatically to eligible SMEs in two tranches in September and December, with no application required.
“How can we trust the government after this?” he asked.
As many businesses have reopened, Hii also called on the government to allow events such as parties and weddings to help restaurants rebuild their businesses.