COVID-19: Survey finds 96.8 per cent of respondents benefited from PRIHATIN

About 96.8 per cent of the 41,386 respondents who took part in the Special Survey Effect of COVID-19 on the Economy and Individual (Round 2) said they had benefited from the Prihatin Rakyat Economic Stimulus Package (PRIHATIN).

The special online survey was conducted by the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) from April 10 to 24 and was participated by respondents aged 15 and above.

The survey found 68.2 per cent said they had received three forms of assistance, while 13.9 per cent received two and 17.9 per cent received one.

Chief Statistician Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin said the analysis presented in the survey were based on the qualitative views of individual on the economy, employment, lifestyle and education.

He said a total of 70.1 per cent of the respondents felt that the PRIHATIN package was effective in reducing their financial burden while 9.1 per cent said it was highly effective as it eased their financial burden during the Movement Control Order (MCO) period.

"In facing the current COVID-19 pandemic, about 90.9 per cent said priority should be given to health and life, followed by income (4.6 per cent) and normal life (4.5 per cent)," he said in a statement today.

The survey also found that 96.1 per cent of the respondents were satisfied with the healthcare personnel (frontliners) and health facilities provided by the government to tackle the outbreak.

"Overall, the outbreak of COVID-19 has affected the lifestyle of 96.3 per cent of the respondents, and 92.9 per cent of them are ready to adopt a new way of life when the MCO ends," he said.

From the education aspect, Mohd Uzir said 54.5 per cent of the respondents stated that the Internet access for online learning was modest.

Most educational institutions are holding online learning sessions following the pandemic and the survey found that 67.5 per cent of the respondents or their children spent one to five hours a day on online learning.

According to Mohd Uzir, 46.3 per cent of the respondents said that the best time to do online learning was between 7 am and noon due to faster Internet access.

He hoped feedback from the survey would help the government and the people in tackling the effects of COVID-19 on the economy and life.

"The analysis are based on the respondents who participated in this special survey and does not represent the views of all Malaysians.

"It should be interpreted with caution to assess the impact of the outbreak on the country and it is not an official statistic," he reminded.

The full report of the survey can be accessed at the www.dosm.gov.my, Facebook,Twitter and Instagram@StatsMalaysia.

-- BERNAMA