Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg at the press conference today.
KUCHING (Jan 21): Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg today unveiled the Bantuan Khas Sarawakku Sayang (BKSS) 5.0 special assistance package to help Sarawakians face the Covid-19 pandemic, which appears to have taken a turn for the worse in the country.
The package worth RM405 million contains 11 measures and will be implemented from January to June 2021, the chief minister announced at a press conference held via Zoom this afternoon.
They include the extension of discounts on utilities, rent and assessment rates; and exemptions on business license and permit fees.
“In view of the worsening Covid-19 outbreak nationwide including Sarawak, moreover the flood situation affecting some parts of Sarawak recently, the Sarawak government has decided to assist its people through several important approaches to ease the burden of the people to go about their daily lives.
“As before, several assistance are to be extended for a period of six months from January 2021 to June 2021,” Abang Johari said during the announcement.
The previous four BKSS announced last year had amounted to more than RM2.6 billion.
The number of Covid-19 cases in the country had risen significant from the end of last year, hitting a high of 4,008 cases yesterday.
Sarawak too has seen a major spike this year, rising to three figures for an all time high of 203 cases yesterday. Last week, the state was also hit by floods as heavy downpour coincided with the King Tide and displaced more than 4,000 people in the southern region of the state.
The first measure under BKSS 5.0 is to extend the discounts for domestic, commercial and industrial electricity bills from 5 to 25 per cent from January till June 2021 which would benefit about 642,000 Sarawakian households, costing the government some RM166.2 million.
The second measure is to extend the water bill discounts for domestic, commercial and industrial electricity bills from 10 to 25 per cent from January till June 2021 which would benefit about 568,000 Sarawakian households, costing some RM31.5 million.
The third measure is a 50 per cent rent discount for six months for markets and stalls that would benefit some 10,000 traders statewide renting at premises under the state local governments.
“The rent discount worth RM1.6 million will be borne by the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) state government,” said Abang Johari.
The fourth measure is fee exemption for business licenses and permits for traders, hawkers, night market and Pasar Tamu (wet market) traders registered with the local governments statewide, involving the cost of RM8.3 million, he said.
The fifth measure is the exemption of rental payment for small-medium enterprises (SMEs) operating in statutory bodies’ and state government-linked premises.
“The GPS state government will continue to exempt rental payments of SMEs operating in business premises owned by statutory bodies and state GLCs such as the Sarawak Economic Development Corporation (SEDC), Sarawak Land Development and Protection Board (LCDA) and the Bintulu Development Authority (BDA) for a period of six months from January to June 2021,” said Abang Johari.
The sixth measure is a 25 per cent discount for assessment rates over RM400 for residential premises, commercial, industrial and special holdings premises for six months.
The chief minister said this measure would benefit some 185,000 premises within the jurisdiction of the local government with the hope of reducing the burden of Sarawakians including businesses.
“The overall cost for this discount is estimated to be RM74.6 million to be borne by the state government,” said Abang Johari.
The seventh measure is a 50 per cent rental discount for all Sarawak Housing Development Corporation (HDC) housing schemes that would benefit more than 3,200 tenants statewide.
The estimated cost for this would be about RM3 million, said Abang Johari.
The eighth measure is a 30 per cent land tax discount for the year 2021 that would benefit more than 52,400 residential premises, commercial and industrial centres, large scale farming and other public amenities, he said.
“This measure will help ease the burden of the people and involves a cost of RM11.8 million to be borne by the state government,” said Abang Johari.
The ninth measure is a one-off exemption for hotel license fee payment involving some 340 hotels and lodgings with 17,300 rooms statewide.
The Chief Minister said this involves the cost of about RM400,000 to be borne by the state government.
The 10th measure is the one-off deferral of land premium payment for the year 2021 which would benefit some 1,720 land owners for farming, residential, commercial, industrial and other institutions statewide, said Abang Johari.
The 11th measure is to defer loan repayment for 174 SME Loan Scheme (SPIKS) defaulters for six months from January till June this year involving the cost of about RM900,000, he said.