KUALA LUMPUR: The National Recovery Council (MPN) will hold meetings more frequently due to the challenges posed by the Omicron variant and the increasing number of COVID-19 infections.

MPN chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said it would hold meetings tomorrow and at the end of this month to discuss measures for national recovery.

"The MPN must ensure the country can face the recovery process as best as possible in a short period of time," he told reporters after handing over research grants for the MASA Policy Development Programme (MPDP) here today.

According to Muhyiddin, the country's economy is now seen to be more active, with more people working and the nation's revenue also rising.

"But I am still of the opinion that our efforts are not fully successful yet. What more with the ongoing pandemic challenges, the Omicron variant and up-to-date (COVID-19) data that is increasing more than usual," he said.

Malaysia has been recording a rising trend of daily COVID-19 infections since last week when positive cases reached six digits yesterday (Feb 6), with over 99 per cent of the cases being in categories one and two.

Commenting on the MPDP research grant by the independent think-tank body, Institut Masa Depan Malaysia or MASA, Muhyiddin who is also MASA chairman, said the MPDP would provide opportunities to academics and experts in various fields to be involved in the National Recovery Plan 2.0 that is being drafted by the MPN.

He said the MPDP had met an encouraging response, receiving a total of 134 proposal papers from 21 public institutions of higher learning (IPTA) and private institutions of higher learning (IPTS) as well as non-governmental organisations (NGOs).

Of the total, 30 proposal papers from 10 local IPTA and IPTS covering fields on economic, social, welfare, education and sustainable development were shortlisted, he said.

Muhyiddin said those chosen would receive a research grant of RM10,000 for each policy summary that would be produced besides being encouraged to publish their research reports in local and foreign journals.

-- BERNAMA