Muhyiddin to announce 'PEMERKASA' package for rakyat, industries this evening

According to the latest post on his official social site, the package is known as 'PEMERKASA', but no further details were given.

It is a continuation of initiatives that have been introduced previously, including the Prihatin Rakyat Economic Stimulus Package (PRIHATIN) and Prihatin PKS worth RM260 billion, in March and April last year, respectively.

Based on the Ministry of Finance (MOF) report, the two packages have benefited around 20 million, as well as 2.4 million multi-sector businesses.

Apart from the two master packages, the government also introduced the National Economic Regeneration Plan (PENJANA) in the middle of last year, covering more than 12.5 million individuals and 350,000 businesses.

Also introduced was the Special Supplementary Initiative Framework Package: Kita Prihatin amounting to RM10 billion benefitting more than 10.1 million individuals and 705,000 businesses.

Earlier this year, the fifth initiative, the Malaysian Economic and Citizen Protection Assistance Package (PERMAI) worth RM15 billion was announced.

Finance Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz, was reported to have said that the latest stimulus package would specialise in groups that have yet to recover, such as the tourism sector.

“Here we are having discussions at the Ministry of Finance level together with the relevant ministries, how we can help especially the sectors that are still affected by the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak.

"The announcement will be made in the near future. What is important is that they need to 'restart' and there are a handful (of sectors) that cannot 'restart', for example tourism," he added.