ISKANDAR PUTERI: The Johor government will introduce an economic stimulus package to assist sectors affected by the COVID-19 outbreak, especially the tourism sector.
Menteri Besar Datuk Hasni Mohammad said the package would be unveiled before the upcoming state assembly sitting.
He said the state government might also revisit certain policies such as the implementation of the tourism tax imposed on hotels and travel agencies.
In addition, it would review the policies of not holding state government ceremonies and programmes in hotels and involving tourism firms.
“Perhaps for the period (of difficulties due to COVID-19), we should review the policies in order to assist the tourism and hotel sectors especially in Johor,” the recently-appointed chief minister told reporters after receiving a courtesy call from Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin at his office here today.
COVID-19, which began in Wuhan in China’s Hubei Province at the end of last year, has spread worldwide. There have been 99 confirmed cases in Malaysia as of today.
Meanwhile, on changes to the line-up of local council members and village chiefs appointed by Pakatan Harapan following the formation of a new Gabungan Baharu-led state government, Hasni, who is also the state assemblyman for Benut, said he did not want to be hasty to implement changes.
“We do not want people to say we’re too drastic or hasty, or to be viewed as greedy in how we approach appointments and so on. It would be best if we do it in stages because the (previous changes in) appointments also had a time frame. There are some officials who have not completed their tenure,” he added. – March 9, 2020, Bernama
