National budget director Johan Mahmood Merican said all previous packages, including the latest one dubbed Pemerkasa Plus, have been implemented in stages and are up to schedule.

Citing the moratorium assistance, Johan said over 95% of applications of the loan repayment assistance had been approved

“More than 95% of those who applied (for the moratorium) got it,” he said in an interview with BFM radio today.

Johan gave an assurance that the economic stimulus implementation and coordination unit between national agencies (LAKSANA) had been closely monitoring the implementation of financial assistance to ensure it reached the intended groups.

“I admit that during the implementation of earlier packages, we (LAKSANA) only monitored the disbursement of assistance from the ministry to the relevant agencies. But for the Pemerkasa Plus package, we actually monitor and track the allocation until it reaches the intended recipients.”

To date, the government has unveiled a total of seven stimulus packages valued at RM380 billion with the latest package valued at RM40 billion.

He noted that, of the allocations, RM200 billion had been spent through various channels. “We still have over RM100 billion to be spent,” he added.

Yesterday, a retail association warned that Bumiputera businesses were “on the brink of death” because of a lack of government assistance to help them survive the current lockdown.

All businesses are struggling, according to Bumiputera Retailers Organisation (BRO) president Ameer Ali Mydin.

Ameer said many of BRO’s 52 members, employing 30,000 people, had had trouble obtaining moratoriums and assistance. Banks were not approving applications automatically, he claimed.

“Our members tell us that the banks are asking for details of their cash flow, accounts and revenue projections. What are they expecting to see? We’re bleeding, on the brink of death and there’s no end in sight to the lockdown,” he said.