Reopening of SME sector will depend on COVID-19 infection risk - Tengku Zafrul

KUALA LUMPUR: The reopening of business sectors, especially small and medium enterprises (SMEs), needs to be decided based on the risk of COVID-19 infection in the respective sectors, said National Recovery Plan (PPN) Coordinating Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz.

Tengku Zafrul, who is also Finance Minister, said it needed to be assessed based on science and data, adding that sector-based risk analysis alone may produce inconsistent results.

"So, we have to look at all sectors, not based on specific sectors, but in terms of the risk of COVID-19 infection in the respective sectors," he said after the Finance Minister's Walkabout Programme at the mobile vaccination centre at the Hiliran Ampang People's Housing Project today.

During the programme, he also handed out food basket aid from the Cultural Economy Development Agency (CENDANA) and Sime Darby Foundation to local artists at Lotus's Taman Midah, Cheras.

Tengku Zafrul said the National Security Council is expected to announce the reopening of the business sector, especially the SMEs, after looking into the matter, next week.

On Friday, Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin chaired the second meeting of the National Recovery Council (MPN) which, among others, discussed the needs of the business sector especially the SMEs to reopen under stringent standard operating procedures.

The virtual meeting also discussed in detail and took into consideration various data and views of health and economic experts on the rate of vaccination including the status of individual vaccination and intensive care unit capacity.

-- BERNAMA