Photo : Datuk Christina Liew
KOTA KINABALU: Sabah PKR is adding to the chorus of voices supporting the State Government’s decision in allowing ‘dine-ins’ at eateries. Chairperson of the PKR State Leadership Council (MPN Sabah), Datuk Christina Liew said this step, among other proactive measures, is a positive way of ensuring gradual recovery of the domestic economy based on the State’s needs.
“The State Government under the stewardship of Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor has made a correct decision on the standard operating procedure (SOP) for operations of coffee shops and restaurants.
“This is what the masses want in favour of jobs, income and food security. Clearly, the Government is thinking and deciding in terms of the people’s lives and livelihood.
“The Federal Government has just unveiled Phase One of the Movement Control Order (MCO) under the National Recovery Plan. When we talk about economic recovery, we must put in place pro-business policies, and not restrictions that will stifle even the small business sector that is already struggling for survival,” the former Deputy Chief Minister said in a statement on Thursday.
Liew, who is also Tawau MP cum Api Api Assemblywoman, said many small time businesses, including hardware shops and coffee shops which had operated for two to three generations, had to call it a day (following imposition of the Movement Control Order 1.0 (MCO 1.0) in March 2020). “Others are moaning and groaning under the yoke of the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic.”
Meanwhile, she urged the Federal Government to make good its pledge on expediting the National COVID-19 Immunisation Programme under its National People’s Well-Being and Economic Recovery Package (PEMULIH) which was announced on June 28.
“According to the Prime Minister, the government has allocated an additional RM400 million to increase the nation’s supply of COVID-19 vaccines (as outlined in the PEMULIH Stimulus Package). Overall, the PM had said the government has allocated RM1 billion to speed up the vaccination programme.
“Only through adopting the right SOPs and getting the population vaccinated, and not ‘locking down’ businesses, will the nation succeed in bringing down the rate of infectivity and accelerating the pace of economic recovery,” Liew pointed out.
She said Sabah is said to have an estimated population of 3.9 million (as of 2019) but the state has reportedly received only 628,390 doses of Pfizer, Sinovac and AstraZeneca as of June 28 this year.
“In the Tawau Parliamentary constituency, for example, the vaccination team was giving 300 shots a day as reported. At the rate we are going, I am doubtful whether we can meet the target of providng up to 2,500 doses a day this month and in August if the district’s supply of vaccines is not replenished in due course,” said the Tawau MP.