AFTER more than two months of the Movement Control Order (MCO) which now enters its conditional stage, the people are fighting tooth and nail to avoid the adverse economy impact on them, notably the petty traders who were not allowed to open shop during the period.

The government pro-active measures in introducing the ‘loan moratorium’ for all sectors were implemented by banks, cooperatives and other agencies such as TEKUN, PUNB, MARA, PTPTN, PTPK and credit companies. Although there are some complaints over the loan servicing moratorium recently, it was resolved quickly between the banks and the government.

Reading comments by netizen on the social media, the moratorium was commended by all sectors of the community, above all the BPN was issued.

However, we still receive complaints how some of then moan loans issued by Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia (AIM) in Facebook postings https://www.facebook.com/AmanahIkhtiarMalaysia which did not follow the moratorium as obliged by other government agencies.

I would like to seek an explanation on this matter.

We understand that those taking loan from AIM are small-sized industry which was badly impacted by the MCO. Many did not open their business which led to the loss of income. At times when they wanted to rise again, they were burdened with the non-moratorium loan servicing issue.

Although the MCO did not reach a 2-month period, a six-month moratorium was given to enable the people to have ample time to rebuild their business and life again, especially the small traders.

As I have mentioned in a FB posting earlier, government’s agencies and companies must work in tandem with its aspiration, and that explains why political appointees was made in the GLCs, GLICs and agencies so that their compliance to the government policies can be monitored.

I, hereby urge AIM to give attention to the loan moratorium as soon as possible because it affects hundreds of thousand small and petty traders who were really down during the Covid-19 pandemic.

AIM official website indicates that it still retain almost all members in the Board of Directors although PN government has took over. http://www.aim.gov.my/ahli-lembaga/

Amanah Ikhtiar should be more sensitive of the matter and work in line with the present government policies which is more people-centric.

 

DATO’ SERI DR AHMAD ZAHID HAMIDI
UMNO President