KUALA LUMPUR: The government will ensure that no Malaysian is left out, especially those from the Below 40 (B40) group, in the implementation of the Prihatin Rakyat Economic Stimulus Package (Prihatin).
Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said there were more than 53 government agencies under the Economic Stimulus Implementation & Coordination Unit Between National Agencies (Laksana) to monitor the implementation of Prihatin nationwide.
"We will ensure that all groups, especially in Sabah and Sarawak, will not be left out in receiving the government's assistance to ease their burden in facing the Covid-19 pandemic," he said when answering a question from Kota Semarahan MP Rubiah Wang during today's parliamentary session.
The government has implemented the Prihatin stimulus package worth RM250 billion, Prihatin Supplementary package worth RM10 billion, and the National Economic Recovery Plan (Penjana) worth RM35 billion to reduce the impact of Covid-19.
Muhyiddin also said that the government acknowledges that the number of unemployed in the country will increase as a result of the pandemic, but that it will ensure that its impact on the people is reduced based on the initiatives implemented.
"The country's economic growth will experience a significant contraction in the second quarter due to the implementation of the Movement Control Order, but our economy is expected to rebound in the third and fourth quarters after the reopening of the economy," he said.
The Department of Statistics Malaysia estimates that the country's unemployment rate will rise to 5.5 per cent due to job losses brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Muhyiddin added that the government is in the midst of formulating various policies and strategies to restructure and strengthen the economy to address socio-economic development imbalances.
"This will be presented under the 12 Malaysia Plan 2021-2025 early next year," he said. - Bernama