SHAH ALAM, June 20 — The Selangor Resilience Enhancement Package (SREP) targets specific groups over blanket aid for everyone, which allows assistance to be channelled directly to the truly needy to ensure minimal disruptions to the economy, said Putra Business School academic Prof Ahmed Razman Abdul Latiff.
The Master of Business Administration (MBA) programme director added that initiatives under SREP were designed based on data, which means benefits reach the right groups.
“All the initiatives have more focused targets and aren’t … ‘blanket’ ones, which means those who are eligible are identified and only the eligible ones receive aid, so they can spend or are able to continue economic activities.
“The purpose is not to give moratoriums to increase incomes, but instead it is to make sure activities … don’t slow, but remain as before,” he told Media Selangor.
He also said SREP ensures each household has enough fiscal capability so people can go about their daily lives.
“When there is a crisis like in (West Asia), what happens is that people tend not to spend, or can’t afford to spend, so businesses don’t have enough returns to pay their workers and could be forced to fire employees and close down.
“This all happens because there is no cash liquidity, whether it is because they don’t have it or because they’re not spending.
“Thus, all the initiatives announced by the Selangor government is to ensure everyone has sufficient (fiscal capability).
“It means households and individuals can still afford to spend on essential goods even though goods prices go up, but at least they can still afford them,” he explained.
Razman added that the package also ensures Selangor’s economic activity continues to drive growth.
The state has allocated RM355.06 million — RM145.8 million (seven initiatives) in Phase 1 and RM209.26 million (15 initiatives) in Phase 2 — under SREP to cushion the people and businesses from effects of the West Asia conflict.
