KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) has backed Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin's call for the Social Welfare Department's monthly aid of RM200 and RM300 received by needy people to be increased to RM1,000.
Its secretary-general J. Solomon is hopeful that the Cabinet would support the Prime Minister's intent on the matter.
He said the MTUC hopes that it will not be another long-drawn study before its implementation as the people on the ground were suffering, with the cost of living having gone up because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
"Prices of basic goods and supplies have been raised as a result of the higher cost of operations brought about by the Covid-19 SOPs.
"This does not require any passing of laws but just a Cabinet decision and internal circulars would suffice once the Finance Ministry sources the funds. So not much feedback or studies are necessary as the Welfare Department will have the database of those eligible," he said.
Solomon also called upon the Cabinet to extend the welfare aid to two other category of Malaysians – the Socso pension recipients who get amounts much lower than RM2,000 per month and the B40 workers who earn salaries which are less than RM4,000 a month.
"While the B40 workers can be assisted with this special aid monthly until the Covid-19 pandemic is declared under control and a vaccine is found, all Socso pensioners should be entitled for this aid permanently," he said in a statement today.