MOTAC ready to hold engagement sessions with industry practitioners - Nancy

KUALA LUMPUR, June 1 -- The Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC) is ready to step up cooperation with tourism and culture industry practitioners through engagement sessions within this two weeks as preparation if the Movement Control Order (MCO) is extended.

The minister concerned, Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri said it is to identify the forms of other assistance needed by targeted groups and to also enhance the effectiveness of the government’s fiscal channel from the bottom to the top.

In expressing appreciation for the aid announced by the government for industry players under PEMERKASA Plus, she said MOTAC in the same period would ensure coordination and monitoring for its smooth implementation.

“These efforts would enable tourism and culture industry practitioners continue with the viability of their business as well as retaining the manpower in their respective sectors.    

“This Initiative shows the commitment of the government to look into the grievances of the people in the tourism and culture sector economic chain affected by the COVID-19 pandemic,” she said in a statement today.

Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin yesterday announced the PEMERKASA Plus stimulus package valued at RM40 billion with three main objectives which is to boost public health capacity, continue the caring agenda and support business survival.

The assistance provided for tourism and culture sector include:

1. Special one-off aid of RM500 to 17,000 registered tour guides, 4,000 registered tour buses as well as taxi, rented vehicle, school bus and e-hailing drivers with an allocation of RM68 million.
2. Extension of 10 per cent electricity bill discount for three months from July to September to operators of hotels, travel and tour agencies, shopping complexes and premises, convention centres, theme parks and local airlines offices.
3. Special deduction for owners of building and business space who offer premises rent reduction to small and medium enterprises and non-SME for six months more until Dec 31 with rent reduction of 30 per cent from the current rental rate.
4. Exemption from tourism tax and service tax on accommodation for hotel operators, to continue and extended to Dec 31;   
5. Bus and Taxi Hire Purchase Rehabilitation Scheme with an allocation of RM1 billion. Through this scheme, operators of bus and taxi are eligible to obtain a loan moratorium of up to 12 months and the loan period extended up to 36 months.
6. Extension of the Wage Subsidy Programme under Socso for one month for all affected economic sectors with a cost of RM1.5 billion with a limit of 500 workers for each application;   
7. Micro credit financing as low as three per cent as working capital with an allocation of RM1.5 billion.

-- BERNAMA