Moratorium: Wait for Friday - Abd Rahim Bakri

KUALA LUMPUR: The decision on whether the government will extend the implementation of the moratorium or otherwise will be known on Friday, said Deputy Minister of Finance I, Datuk Abd Rahim Bakri.

"On Friday, we have a presentation of the 2021 Budget. So, to find out whether the initiative is implemented, we have to wait for Friday," he said when answering a supplementary question from Datuk Salim Sharif (BN-Jempol) in the Dewan Rakyat on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Abd Rahim (Bersatu - Kudat) when answering an additional question from Datuk Seri Salahuddin Ayub (PH - Pulai) regarding the granting of direct negotiation projects through the Economic Stimulus Package announced during the COVID-19 pandemic said, he did not have information on the matter .

"In the package implemented, I have no information on whether it is given by direct negotiation," he said.

In another development, he said the government expects the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) projection to grow by 5.5 per cent to 5.8 per cent by 2021.

"There was an indication in the first quarter that GDP recorded a growth of 0.7 per cent while the second quarter contracted 17.1 per cent following the implementation of the Movement Control Order (MCO).

"However, the monthly GDP growth showed a recovery trend from -28.6 per cent in April to -19.5 per cent in May and -3.2 per cent in June," he explained.