KUALA LUMPUR – It cannot be denied that the bitter episode of the COVID-19 pandemic that hit the country since January last year has had a profound effect and affected the economy and lives of the people.
The government acted promptly by enforcing the Movement Control Order (MCO) on March 18 last year, as well as other measures, covering all sectors, to minimise the negative impact of the pandemic on the country and to protect the people.
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The proactive steps taken by the government under the leadership of Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, which emphasised interests of all sectors and the people from all walks of life and age, since a year ago clearly showed its commitment and concern in safeguarding the people’s interests and that of players in the economic industry through various stimulus packages.
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KUALA LUMPUR: The country s economy is expected to show a positive development by the middle of this year once the National COVID-19 Immunisation Programme, which begins on Wednesday, gathers momentum, an economist said.
Malaysian Academy of Sciences fellow Datuk Dr Madeline Berma said economists predicted that Malaysia would be able to revive its economy starting the third quarter of this year, depending on the smooth implementation of the vaccination programme. This is in line with the forecast issued by the Economic Planning Unit which expects the country s economy to recover around 4.5 to 5.0 per cent, she said in a special coverage of the first batch of COVID-19 vaccines arrival to Malaysia on BernamaTV on Sunday.
The matter was agreed upon during MMN’s inaugural meeting today.
Energy and Natural Resources Minister Datuk Seri Dr Shamsul Anuar Nasarah said the plan is aimed at developing an integrated mineral industry by transforming every level of the value chain, namely the upstream, mid-stream and downstream activities sectors.
“It is to ensure that the mineral industry can be developed holistically, so as to provide long-term returns as well as become one of the main contributors to the country’s economy,” he said in a statement issued in conjunction with the first MMN meeting.
The Cabinet on Aug 28 last year agreed that MMN be re-established as the main platform for the Federal and state governments to discuss issues related to the mineral industry.