I strongly welcome the Financial Stimulus Package due to the COVID-19 that was announced to provide necessary resources to ensure Covid-19 disease is well managed especially to reward and appreciate all the heroes behind the scene that put their lives at risk daily to manage this virus especially the doctors, nurses, health workers, immigration officers and others.
In all the political drama that we are facing today, we must still remember and remain vigilant that we are still facing the threat of the virus which reportedly have hit 82,000 worldwide, killing some 2, 800 people. This economic stimulus package was the due to the hard work and efforts by the Ministry of Finance for the past few weeks and is very welcome gift by them before the fall of the federal Pakatan Harapan government.
We are one of the first country in the world to announce such a stimulus package and i am glad that a big focus of it is to reward all the faithful and committed civil servant that risk their lives on a daily basis to contain the disease so that we the people can be save from the virus.
Based on the package announced, government doctors and other medical personnel directly involved in the coronavirus containment efforts will receive a special Rm 400 monthly critical allowance from this month until the end of the outbreak. Immigration officers will also get RM 200 extra from February until the end of the outbreak.
The government handling of the outbreak has earned the country much praise, both locally and internationally through the experience, expertise and the use of technology in containing this disease. However the threat is not over, and it is important to reward these officers to make sure efforts are continues especially to prevent any local transmission.
It was very important to remember the sacrifices and efforts of all these officers. While most of us are safe in our homes, many of them have to wake up early in the morning and risk their lives on a daily basis to go to the hospitals to take care of us and to keep us safe. They deserve our outmost respect and gratitude.
Due to the hard work of these frontliners, we have see that the number of Covid-19 cases in Malaysia remained at 23, and 22 of them have recovered and been discharged from the hospital.
Everyone has got their own roles and a collective responsibility to play to contain the outbreak. My office in collaboration with Brilliant Inspiration Academy will also organize a free public forum featuring Dr Chew Kian Peng and Dr Loo Zia Yee at Viva City Megamall on Sunday(1st March 2020) from 1pm to 4pm to educate public more on the virus and more importantly preventive measures that needs to be taken.