JOHOR BAHRU, June 10 — A total of 300 media practitioners and promoters of the Info on Wheels programme in the state will receive a special contribution of RM500 from the Johor government in appreciation and recognition of their efforts in providing information and advocacy on COVID-19.
Menteri Besar Datuk Hasni Mohammad said the contribution, the first since the pandemic began, was part of 16 initiatives under the Ihsan Johor 3.0 Economic Stimulus Package (PRE Ihsan Johor 3.0) amounting to RM126.86 million announced by the state government today for the community and human capital sector.
He said it would be given on a one-off basis but did not specify when the payment would be made.
Info on Wheels is a programme under the Information Department to provide announcements and channel accurate information on COVID-19 to the public in focus areas.
Hasni said apart from the two groups involved, assistance amounting to RM500 on a one-off basis was also given to 1,197 canteen operators of government schools and government-aided schools as well as 4,202 barbershops or salon premises.
“A total of 2,123 registered school bus and van drivers; 22,071 participants in the e-Kasih list; 5,264 imam, bilal and noja; 630 village heads as well as 10,000 people who lost their jobs or income will also receive the same amount of assistance,” he said when announcing the PRE 3.0 package virtually today.
Hasni said other initiatives include providing an allocation of RM1 million to the Darul Ta’zim Family Development Foundation (YPKDT) to hold counseling clinics, psychology and counseling webinars as well as online psychological tests which are expected to help 10,000 people.
Apart from that, through the cooperation of MyKasih Foundation, the state government will also provide goods vouchers worth RM200 to 300,000 B40 families, besides providing food basket assistance worth RM100 each to 20,000 people in need in the state with a total allocation of RM2 million.
For its Food Truck Programme, which is expected to benefit almost 100,000 people affected by COVID-19, the state government has also provided an allocation of RM8 million.
“Besides that, 11 affiliated bodies (associations) and 10 district cultural councils registered under the Johor State Cultural Council will each be given RM1,000; while a total of 958 arts activists will receive RM500 each with a total assistance of RM500,000,” he said.
The new economic stimulus package totaling RM241 million is the largest allocation ever announced by Johor so far during the COVID-19 period, after the PRE Ihsan Johor 1.0 involving RM167.33 million and PRE Ihsan Johor 2.0 (RM109.48 million).
— BERNAMA