KUALA LUMPUR: Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has indicated that the economic stimulus package will go ahead on a date to be announced by him in his capacity as the interim Prime Minister, according to former finance minister Lim Guan Eng (pix).
The plan, initially scheduled to be announced on Thursday, Feb 27, was among the issues that Lim discussed with Dr Mahathir this morning.
“I had met up with Dr Mahathir in the morning in his office to discuss political developments. Among the issues that happened to be discussed was the economic stimulus package that was planned to be announced by Dr Mahathir to react to the adverse global economic impact to Malaysia caused by the Covid-19 outbreak,” he said in a statement today.
Lim, who is the DAP Secretary-General and MP for Bagan, said the Finance Ministry had finalised the economic stimulus package on Sunday, Feb 23 - his last full day as finance minister - to be presented to Dr Mahathir for his approval on the following day.
However, Dr Mahathir submitted his resignation as the seventh premier yesterday. The Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah, who accepted the resignation, reappointed Dr Mahathir as the country’s interim Prime Minister later in the day.
On the advice of Dr Mahathir, His Majesty also revoked the appointments of all ministers.
In a three-paragraph statement, the chief secretary to the government, Datuk Seri Mohd Zuki Ali, said during the interim period, Dr Mahathir would manage the country’s administration until the appointment of the new prime minister and the formation of a new cabinet.
Malaysia is not the only Asean nation planning a stimulus package to address concerns over Covid-19. Thailand’s Finance Ministry will be proposing a new economic stimulus package to the cabinet in mid-March.
Malaysia’s economic stimulus package, focusing on tourism, consumption and investment, is aimed at stimulating domestic travel, which has been affected by the Covid-19 outbreak. - Bernama
