Key points from economic stimulus package 2020:
- Government will increase the special allowance from RM400 to RM600 per month since 1 April 2020 until the end of the outbreak.
- Government has agreed to extend a special allowance of RM200 a month to military, police, customs, immigration, civil defence members and RELA members who are directly involved in the implementation of the Movement Control Order. This allowance will be paid from 1 April 2020 until the end of the COVID-19 outbreak.
- Government will provide National Concerned Aid, a one-off cash allocation for individual including private workers, FELDA settlers, farmers, fishermen, small traders and all those belonging to the M40 and below groups
- RM1,600 - Households earning a monthly income of RM4,000 and below. Payment of RM1,000 will be paid in April 2020 and RM600 in May 2020.
- RM1,000 - Households earning over RM4,000 to RM8,000 will be paid in April 2020 of RM500 and the remaining RM500 in May.
- RM800 - Single individuals 21 years of age and older with a monthly income of RM2,000 and below. The RM500 payment will be paid in April 2020 and the remaining RM300 in May 2020
- RM500 - Single individuals 21 years and over who earn a monthly income of more than RM2,000 to RM4,000. A payment of RM250 will be made in April 2020 and the remaining RM250 in May
- RM200 One-off fund will be granted to students of higher education institutions by May 2020.
- The balance under Bantuan Sara Hidup (BSH) will be paid out on Jul’20
- Government had agreed to defer PTPTN repayment to all borrowers for 6 months (announced previously)
- Government has agreed to defer loan repayments to the borrowers of the Skills Development Fund Corporation or PTPK from 1 April 2020 to 30 September 2020
- MySalam expand the beneficiary group for the RM50 allowance per day (maximum 14 days) for those hospitalized B40 group because of COVID-19 infection to those B40 who are being quarantined (PUI).
- Rental for Projek Perumahan Rakyat (PPR) has been exempted for 6 months
- Government also agreed to grant 6 months rental exemption to those Government-owned premises, such as school canteen, child care centre, cafes, convenience stores and more.
- In the last economic stimulus package, the Government provide a 15% discount on the tourism sector electricity bill and 2% for the commercial, industrial, agricultural and household sectors in Peninsular Malaysia beginning April 1, 2020. Government and Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) will give 50% discount to electricity usage below 200 kilowatts, 25% for use between 201 and 300 kilowatts and 15% for consumption 301 to 600 kilowatts. This discount will be effective for a period of six months beginning with the April 2020 bill. Meanwhile, the 2% discount as previously stated will continue enjoyed by all household users.
- Starting from 1 April 2020, internet charges will be waived until the movement control order period end.
- Government will provide one-off cash assistance of RM500 to civil servants in grades 56 and below including contract workers. Payment will be made by April 2020.
- The Government will also introduce the Wage Subsidy Program (Program Subsidi Upah) to help employers retain workers. Government will provide a wage of RM600 per month for three months. The program is aimed at employees earning less than RM4,000 and employers experiencing a 50% decrease in income since January 1, 2020. Employers must ensure that they do not dismiss employees or direct them to take unpaid leave for three months after the program is implemented. Also, employers are not allowed to deduct an employee's existing pay. The move is expected to benefit 3.3 million workers with an allocation of RM5.9 billion
- In the previous Economic Stimulus Package, the government announced that taxi drivers would receive a one-off payment of RM600 starting April 1, 2020. Government will expand the one-off allowance of RM500 to e-hailing drivers.
- Government has agreed to pay salaries on behalf of the contractors during the Movement Control Order period to those workers involved in service contracts such as cleaning services and food supply in schools even employees are absent from work.
- Government has also agreed to extend the service contract period for one month as a trade-off with the duration of the Movement Control Order
- Government and Bank Negara Malaysia will provide additional funding covering to assist Small and Medium Enterprises:
- Decreasing the interest rate for Special Assistance Fund from 3.75% to 3.5%
- Lower the threshold for Micro Credit Scheme from 1 year or operation to 6 months of operation. All micro entrepreneurs in all business sectors including taxi operators, bus and taxi operators, creative industries and online merchants can apply the loan with 2% interest rate by Bank Simpanan Nasional
- EPF will introduce the Employment Consultation Services program on April 15, 2020. This service includes options for deferment, restructuring and rescheduling of employer contributions.
- Exemption for the payment for Human Resources Development Fund (HRDF) levy for all sectors for a period of six months beginning April 2020.
- Government has also allowed the suspension of income tax instalment payments to all SMEs for a period of three months beginning April 1, 2020. [Previous economic stimulus package only allows tax instalments to businesses affected by the tourism sector for six months beginning April 1, 2020]
- For other affected sectors, they are allowed to amend the amount of income tax imposed during the third, sixth, and ninth instalments during the basic business period