Suggestions of various economic stimulus measures that can be implemented by DBKL

Just before the Raya holidays, I wrote to the Federal Territories minister to seek for an appointment to discuss various measures and other special reliefs that the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) can take to ease the burden of Kuala Lumpur folks during the current economic crisis caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Many businesses are facing hard times and many of their employees either have been or will be retrenched.

I was informed to meet the Federal Territories minister at the DBKL Headquarters on Friday to put forward my suggestions of various economic stimulus measures that can be implemented by DBKL. They are:

1. To waive quit rent and assessment rates for all unoccupied/unrented premises including commercial towers, shopping malls, hotels, condominiums et cetera for the period between June and December this year, provided the owners can prove no occupancies by showing the related utilities bills. For those who have paid their quit rent and assessments early in the year, the amount should be credited into their accounts in the following year.
2. To give interest-free no-collateral micro financing of up to the limit of RM5,000 to legit licenced hawkers in Kuala Lumpur and to allow these borrowers more than two years to repay the loan. To ensure that they repay their loans, defaulters of this micro loan should be blacklisted for life from future applications of any kind to DBKL.
3. To suggest the minister to use a portion of the RM6 billion in fixed deposits in DBKL bank accounts to boost the city’s economy by engaging with the small and medium-scale industries (SMEs) and attract business travellers and tourists back to Kuala Lumpur post the Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO).
4. To provide special concessions to all management corporations of multi-level commercial and residential premises (from offices to apartments) which give special discounts on their maintenance fees and waiver of sinking funds especially during tough times like this.
5. DBKL to now focus and step up hygiene in public spaces and public transportation such as bus stops, taxi stands, MRT / LRT stations. More frequent collection of trash (especially, the face masks) would help improve the confidence of the general public. DBKL should also utilize its Out-of-Home media platforms to share information and advices of good hygiene and best practices at these high traffic areas. The message should be angled from a positive perspective.