Beginning today, Malaysians from all walks of life will get to enjoy the various assistance and initiatives under the Economic Stimulus Package announced by the government to ease the economic burden of the people who are adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Apart from the RM20 billion Economic Stimulus Package announced on Feb 27, the people also get to benefit from the various assistance under the Prihatin Rakyat Economic Stimulus Package (PRIHATIN) announced by Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin last Friday.

Both packages, totalling RM250 billion, are intended to protect the people, support businesses and strengthen the economy in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Following are some of the assistance and initiatives under PRIHATIN that take effect today (April 1): -



1. Special allowance of RM600 for health and medical personnel.



2. Special allowance of RM200 for members of the armed forces, police, custom, immigration, Fire and Rescue Department, Civil Defence Force and the People's Volunteer Corps (RELA).



3. Deferment of the Skills Development Fund Corporation (PTPK) loan repayment for six months.



4. Discount of 15 per cent on electricity bill for the tourism sector and two per cent for the commercial, industrial, agricultural and household sectors in Peninsular Malaysia.



5. Discount on electricity consumption, whereby the government and Tenaga Nasional Berhad would allocate another RM530 million to provide discounts of between 15 and 50 per cent based on the electricity consumption with a maximum of 600 kilowatts per month.



6. Free high-speed Internet of 1GB daily for all postpaid and prepaid customers of Celcom, Digi, Maxis and U Mobile during the enforcement of the Movement Control Order (MCO).



7. A one-off payment of RM600 for taxi drivers.



8. Deferment of income tax instalment payments for three months for small and medium enterprises (SMEs).



9. Deferment of income tax instalments for six months for business in the tourism sector.



10. Moratorium on loan repayments to TEKUN, MARA, cooperatives and other government agencies for SMEs.



-- BERNAMA