Photo by Department of Statistics, Malaysia
During this pandemic, there were a lot of companies and businesses that experienced difficulty, so they had to shut down. Some places even resort to pay cuts for their staff to survive. According to the Malaysian Reserve, The Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers said some measures to prevent companies from going under is to implement unpaid leave, omit contractual allowances and benefits and take forced annual leave to name a few.
"The company can't afford to hire so many workers. Since I'm just a part-timer, they've started to cut off my working hours as there are rules stating that only two workers are needed in the shop at all times," said Weng Lee, an 18-year-old who chose to work part-time jobs instead of continuing her tertiary studies as she faced financial issues.
She also added that "It was really a stressful situation as I'm living on my own. However, I contacted the boss of a café I once worked in and apparently she needed all the help she could get to manage her café business. Hence, I'm working there now. Finance isn't a big problem yet. I've faced a great amount of stress and have times where I break down mentally, often worrying about how to get a hold of myself in this pandemic."
Our country's unemployment rate has risen to 5.3% in May during 2020, one of the highest in 30 years, and the number of jobless Malaysians have reached an increased number of 826,100 in the same month. While those that still cannot find a new job may have to suffer as there is a lack of income to support themselves or even their family.
Photo by ringgitplus.com
Raising awareness for what's happening in the outside world is a must, primarily when the COVID-19 pandemic has descended the whole world into chaos. We should all know how severe the pandemic is towards the global economy and security. In this trying time, everyone should be smart when spending money and appreciate what they have. We should try only eating what we need in moderation, as there may be others who are starving outside and struggling to find food. As the saying goes, "one man's trash is another man's treasure", do not bite off more than you can chew.
Photo by Department of Statistics, Malaysia
The world economy has changed drastically in the year 2020, and Malaysia's has fallen by 8.3% for the first half of 2020 compared to the same period in 2019. On 23rd September 2020, the government has announced additional assistance to the Malaysian public under the RM10 billion Prihatin Supplementary Initiative Package (Kita Prihatin). It's an extension of previous economic stimulus packages, to further lessen the financial burden of people and also revive the economy.
One thing that has taken centre stage amid the pandemic is the #KitaJagaKita movement. They're a "one-stop-shop" where locals can support each other during Covid-19 times. They guide those who want to help people who need aid through various initiatives. So head on to https://kitajagakita.com/ for more information! You're also welcomed to donate or volunteer, should you have the means to. Despite this pandemic, we should also support local businesses that are in a crucial state to help them get through the hard times. By doing so, we will be helping in strengthening the country's economic resilience.
By Tung Zhan Ni