KUALA LUMPUR: Putrajaya has agreed to extend the one-off RM300 aid in the 2021 budget to all frontliners, including policemen and soldiers.
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Finance Minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz said the government made the decision after taking into account the views and proposals of MPs in their debates.
“During the tabling of the 2021 budget, I announced that this aid will only be given to frontliners of the health ministry.
“During the debates, I listened to the suggestions and views of the MPs debating. I gladly announce that the government has agreed to extend the one-off aid to all other frontliners,” he said in his winding up speech on the 2021 Supply Bill in the Dewan Rakyat today.
Earlier today, Ahmad Maslan (BN-Pontian) had also raised the matter in the Dewan Rakyat, saying those in Rela and local councils also deserved to receive the aid.
Previously, the Congress of Unions of Employees in the Public and Civil Services (Cuepacs) had also called for the payment to be extended to non-health ministry frontliners too.
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Cuepacs said they played a significant role in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic, with some of them even contracting the virus.
Tengku Zafrul also said the one-off RM50 e-wallet credit for those aged between 18 and 20 will be increased to RM100 and extended to university students above 20.
He added that RM50 million from the Covid-19 fund will be channelled to Sabah in December to help the state manage the pandemic.
The one-off payment of RM500 for 40,000 recipients of the Pingat Jasa Pahlawan Negara will also be extended to retired and former policemen. This means a doubling of recipients to 80,000.
Putrajaya also agreed to extend the special tax exemption for landlords who provide rental reductions to SMEs for six more months to March 2021 to assist SMEs affected by the ongoing conditional movement control order. – FMT