Kota Kinabalu: Usukan Assemblyman Datuk Seri Dr Salleh Tun Said Keruak said Sabah needs to reset its priority by focusing more on the micro economy vital to preserve, support and assist small economic players in the State hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic.
He said players such as traders and small-scale entrepreneurs, self-employed individuals including Grab drivers and shop owners, retail workers, construction workers, farmers, breeders and fishermen as well as freelancers were the most affected by the pandemic.
In this regard, the former Chief Minister suggested three things that need to be given priority to assist the small players economically, including that the government should continue with infrastructure and housing construction projects to stimulate cash flow in the local economy as well as increase the confidence of investors and the local community.
Apart from that, he stressed on the importance of cooperation and coordination of existing facilities such as funds, grants, or money lending to facilitate and help those involved.
"The government also needs to provide a suitable market for economic small players," he said.
Reset priority is not a drastic action, but aims at improving performance, said Salleh, who is also the State Government Backbenchers Chairman, when debating on the 2021 State Budget at the State Legislative Assembly, here, Tuesday.
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