KUALA LUMPUR (June 28): The Associated Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Malaysia (ACCCIM) has expressed its concerns over the extension of phase one of the National Recovery Plan (NRP) on the economy and businesses.
In a statement today, it said a survey conducted by ACCCIM showed that 77.1% out of 442 companies were still concerned about cash flow, credit and costs.
“More than 60% of companies indicated poorer business conditions, cash flow and debtors’ condition in the second half of 2021 (H2 2021) compared to H1 2021.
“The lockdown has threatened the survival of micro, small and medium enterprises. Low and middle-income households, individuals and the self employed in the informal sector also suffered financial difficulties,” it said.
ACCCIM viewed that vaccination would be the only solution to help build protection and return to normalcy, while some modification to the phase one extension could be done to support some level of economic and business activities, as well as daily lives.
In this regard, it also urged the government to support some level of economic and business activities, including en-bloc approval of the entire supply chains to operate with 60% to 70% manpower capacity under stricter standard operation procedures.
“Use a targeted lockdown approach instead a nationwide lockdown backed by scientific and transparent granular data,” it said.
It also added that the government must continue to mobilize resources of private healthcare services to speed up the vaccination and approval the process of allowing private sector’s sourcing of vaccines, as well as using of vaccination pass as the basis for adjusting social distancing measures and interstate travel.
On Sunday (June 27), Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin announced that phase one under NRP has to be extended, as the number of Covid-19 cases in the country has not dipped below the threshold level of 4,000 required to move to the next phase.
