Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has insisted that it was his priority to ensure that no Malaysians would lose their jobs during the implementation of the four-phase Movement Control Order (MCO).

However, the Prime Minister admitted it would be difficult for companies, especially small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), to continue to keep their workers in a period of economic downturn as a result of the COVID-19 impact on the country.

For that reason, he said, the government had taken several steps, including through the announcement of an economic stimulus package to help ease the burden of companies during the MCO period.

“Because Malaysia is formed on the basis of a strong economic growth that has expanded for a long time. In any form of business, it is there. We cannot let the situation collapse. Because of economic activities, the government collects taxes.

"But in the event that businesses are damaged, or at a loss, where is the revenue that the government can depend on to fund the needs of the people. It is impossible for us to do that,” he added.

Muhyiddin said this in an exclusive interview with Astro AWANI Editor Essan Yahya and Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM) presenter Zaleha Khairene Ismail at the Putra Perdana Building here recently that was aired tonight.

The Prime Minister said among the announcements he made to help companies were, among others, salary subsidies, moratorium delays, and granting loans by certain institutions.

“As we mentioned earlier, we need to make sure that our economy continues to thrive. But in today's difficult situation, we would still have to deal with it.

"So, what the government is doing is managing this kind of situation and we have just begun... gradually we will reopen our economic activities in phases. Up to a point where we think we can make bigger leaps, we will do it over time in the future,” he added.