KOTA KINABAlU: Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor has agreed to the suggestion by Usukan state Assemblyman Datuk Seri Dr Salleh Said Keruak who suggested for the Federal aid for businesses, under the National Recovery Plan, be directly channeled to the state government.
Hajiji said this would help facilitate as well as expedite the distribution of relief assistance to those who are affected by the Covid-19 outbreak.
He told the state assembly that the Sabah government would submit a formal request for that purpose to the Federal government.
He said currently the Sabah and the Federal governments are working hand in hand to alleviate and weather the impact of Covid-19.
“In the ongoing effort to restore the state economy, I agree with the suggestion by Datuk Salleh that the federal government should channel funds to the state government so that it will be easy for us to deal with distribution.
“In this assembly, I am saying that the state government will make a formal request that all the aid for businesses and entrepreneurs be given to Sabah to handle the disbursement.
“We hope the Federal government will listen and help us to make it a reality,” he said during the question-and-answer session at the State Legislative Assembly, here on Wednesday.
He was responding to an additional question from Salleh (Usukan-Umno) on whether Sabah should take control of such assistance, adding that he has received many complaints from the public that federal aid sometimes does not reach the target groups.
