ABOUT 96.8% of 41,386 respondents have received benefits from the Prihatin Rakyat Economic Stimulus Package, whereby 68.2% received three forms of assistance, 13.9% had two and 17.9% received one form of aid, according to a special survey by the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM).
Chief Statistician Datuk Seri Mohd Uzir Mahidin said the analysis presented in the survey was based on the qualitative views gathered from individuals on the economy, jobs, lifestyle and education.
The Report of Special Survey on Effects of Covid-19 on the Economy and Individuals (Round 2) was carried out online from April 10 to 24, and involved respondents aged 15 and above.
“Through PRIHATIN, it is found that 70.1% of the respondents viewed the stimulus package as effective in reducing the financial burden while 9.1% said it was highly effective in relieving the financial burden faced during the Movement Control Order (MCO) perod.
“In facing the current situation amidst the Covid-19 pandemic, some 90.9% of respondents said priorities were on health and life, followed by income (4.6%) and normal life (4.5%),” Mohd Uzir said in a statement today.
He said 96.1% of the respondents were satisfied with the healthcare workers (frontliners) and healthcare facilities provided by the government in handling Covid-19.
On the whole, he said the pandemic had impacted the lifestyle of 96.3% of the respondents while 92.9% were prepared to adapt to the new normal after the lifting of the MCO.
In the aspects of education, DOSM revealed that the majority of respondents, or 54.5%, said internet access for online education was moderate with many educational institutions holding online learning.
“On average, 67.5% of respondents/children implemented online learning sessions for one to five hours daily during the MCO, while 46.3% of them said internet access for online learning was faster during the day time, that is, between 7am and noon,” he said.
Meanwhile, Mohd Uzir hoped the feedback from the survey would be able to help the government and the people in tackling the effects of Covid-19 on the economy and life.
“The analysis presented is based on the respondents who participated in this special survey and cannot be generalised to represent the views of all Malaysians.
“It should be interpreted with caution to assess the impact of Covid-19 in Malaysia and not as official statistics. However, it can be used as support to reflect the current situation,” he added.
The complete findings of the survey can be accessed via the DOSM portal at www.dosm.gov.my and official media social platforms — Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram@StatsMalaysia. — May 6, 2020, Bernama
