KUALA LUMPUR OKT.3: The memorandum of understanding (MoU) for political stability signed between the government and the opposition recently has shown drastic improvement especially in the Dewan Rakyat where Members of Parliament are more professional and not shouting like before in debating issues.
Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said, even outside the Dewan Rakyat there is not much issue raised as both the government and the opposition are focusing on national issues such as COVID-19 pandemic and economic recovery.
“The understanding between the government and the opposition is the new politics and this is happening in the developed nation where both parties work together to build the nation,”
Ismail said in an exclusive interview via TV1 live telecasted here this evening
The Prime Minister has elaborated on the 12th Malaysia Plan (12th MP) and the way forward during its implementation until 2025.
Ismail added, the government needs the opposition to give information and play the role of “check and balance” and to be together in achieving what have been targeted in the 12th MP.
The Prime Minister also stressed that the 12th MP is also focusing on helping the hard core poor and the poor as many people in B40 have fallen to be in the hard core poor while the M40 have dropped to B40 as a result of COVID-19 pandemic. The numbers affected in the three groups are becoming bigger.
“In the 12th MP, the government has allocated RM1.5 billion to help the hard core poor and B40 group to improve their economic growth. Among the plan is to empower the micro-economy sectors that have to contribute some percentages (15%) to the Gross Domestic Productivity (GDP) by 2025.
“The government will give them training and management skills for six months both in the rural and urban areas. A special committee will be formed at the district level to monitor and to record the outcome of the aids.
“There will be a complete data on the number of poor people who have been assisted and what are their achievements. At the national level there will be a Special Committee chaired by the Prime Minister (Ismail) that will monitor the implementation of the 12th MP.
“Meetings will be held once in every two weeks to monitor the implementation of the 12th MP,” Ismail added.
Regarding the efforts to narrow the gaps of the economic digital between the rural and urban areas, Ismail said, most importantly the government has to provide the infrastructure for Internet penetration in both the areas nationwide.
“In the 12th MP, RM3.16 billion has been provided to Sabah while Sarawak with RM4.09 to fulfil the “Jalinan Digital Negara (JENDELA) requirements within two years where both states in East Malaysia and the states in Peninsular Malaysia will have 100 per cent access to the facilities,” Ismail reiterated.
“On the inter-state travel, I have announced that if 90 per cent of the people in the whole nation have received two doses of vaccination, the government will allow them to travel inter-state.
“Today I believe it has reached 86, 87 per cent because on Wednesday it has reached 85.5 per cent. I believe in four to five days the vaccination rates will be increased.
“I believe the time for inter-state travel is coming closer. I will immediately announce the permission once the vaccination rates have reached 90 per cent,” Ismail said.
He added, with inter-state travel, the tourism activities that are mostly affected due to COVID-19 pandemic are expected to be reactivated. – Malaysia World News