BUSINESS owners of food complexes or private shops must submit details of their hawkers for them to receive the RM500 one-off assistance under the Penang People’s Aid Package 2.0.
Seberang Perai City Council (MBSP) mayor Datuk Rozali Mohamud said 1,153 hawkers in food complexes and private licensed shoplots have been identified throughout Seberang Perai for this special grant.
He said the hawkers’ eligibility, however, depends on the quota based on the amount of licence fee that has been paid by the business complex owners or private shop owners, adding that application that exceeds the quota limit is not allowed.
“The beneficiaries of the aid programme are the licensed hawkers while the owners are to help furnish the hawkers’ information on their behalf,” Rozali stressed during a Q and A live session via the MPSP Facebook today.
The application can be made online from May 18 through a website that MBSP would announce soon.
Rozali said another group of hawkers with “tagging” status registered with MBSP and those whose licences have already expired in 2018 make up 2,933 hawkers who qualify for the RM500 one-off payment. They are hawking in 13 areas provided by MBSP.
Rozali thanked Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow and the state government for announcing the second stimulus aid package of RM76 million on May 6 after revealing the first aid package of RM75 million on March 25.
He said MBSP is now operating with 30% of its workforce from office and the remaining 70% working from home under the conditional movement control order.
As such, he urged the Seberang Perai residents to do the necessary transactions with MBSP via online to minimise human movement to control the spread of Covid-19.
He said under the new normal, all 134 service counters have been turned to virtual or cyber counters compared to just 11 service counters operating at the moment in MBSP.
“MBSP staff members who are working from home are not on holidays. They have KPIs to follow and are not allowed to go anywhere else unless on emergency.
“If they are caught in Kedah, the beach area or in Perak eating durian, stiff disciplinary action will be meted out,” Rozali warned.
Rozali, who has made history for MBSP by holding a Q and A live session, also answered a number of questions posed by the public regarding the operating hours of their respective businesses and social activities.
He advised them to recheck with the official MBSP Facebook and follow the information as stated.
Story by K.H. Ong
Pix courtesy of MBSP