Putrajaya forms special committee to address virus impact on businesses, SMEs

(FMT) – Putrajaya has decided to form a special Cabinet committee specifically to deal with the impact of the deadly Covid-19 outbreak on businesses and the economy.

The international trade and industry ministry said the committee, to be co-chaired by senior ministers Mohamed Azmin Ali and Ismail Sabri Yaakob, is aimed at “striking a balance between the nation’s economic priorities and the effective enforcement of the movement control order”, as well as to address an emerging crisis faced by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

It said the committee would meet tomorrow, and would get feedback from people on the ground as well as insight from industry players.

“This effort is key to ensuring the committee will address specific issues facing the business community, particularly SMEs, manufacturers and investors,” the ministry said in a statement.

The decision to form the committee, which comes about a week after the government’s RM250 billion stimulus package to help millions of Malaysians affected by the pandemic which has so far claimed 45 lives and infected over 2,000 people, was reached at a Cabinet meeting yesterday.