When will hawkers get their BKSS 6.0 payment?

Violet Yong

KUCHING (Sept 4): Many hawkers have brought to the attention of Pending assemblywoman Violet Yong of not having received the first tranche of RM750 Bantuan Khas Sarawakku Sayang (BKSS) 6.0 aid via Sarawak Pay as pledged by the state government.

In a statement yesterday, the Democratic Action Party lawmaker said Minister of Local Government and Housing Dato Sri Dr Sim Kui Hian should address the delay in payment by bringing up the matter to the Cabinet.

“The first batch (payment) was supposed to be paid out sometime in July. Two months have passed and many hawkers are still eagerly waiting for it. The snail pace in disbursing the aid by the government is totally unacceptable,” she said.

The Sarawak government announced in May this year that the BKSS 6.0 aid of RM1,500 for eligible hawkers and petty traders would be paid out over two tranches – the first RM750 in July and the remainder in December.

“For many who have yet to receive the BKSS 6.0 money within the promised period, they said the state government is giving out a blank cheque. It’s now September and the payment has not been remitted into their Sarawak Pay accounts,” Yong said.

On top of that, she said many were puzzled as to why, since the implementation of BKSS 1.0 last year, there was no proper channel set up for the public to make enquiry about the status of their BKSS money, causing applicants to feel very helpless.

“The whole implementation process is just very messy as the public are not properly informed from time to time over the matter.”

Yong said the state government ‘is not caring enough’ towards the plights of the people.

On another subject, Yong said many traders and hawkers in the council’s markets have complained of no income after two markets under Kuching South City Council (MBKS) and five under Padawan Municipal Council (MPP) had been directed by the Ministry of Health to close immediately due to Covid-19 positive cases.

“Due to the sudden closure, they have lost their income and therefore want the BKSS 6.0 aid urgently from the state government to help them tide over their difficulties,” she said.

Yong also called on MBKS and MPP to stop collecting licence fees from the affected hawkers for the period when the markets are closed.

from Borneo Post Online https://bit.ly/3n2sb3m
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