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BSH recipients need not make new application for BPN

PUTRAJAYA: Households and single individuals who have been listed as the Cost of Living Aid (BSH) recipients do not need to make a new application for the Bantuan Prihatin Nasional (BPN) cash handouts.

The Ministry of Finance (MOF) in a statement today said the BPN payments would be made directly to them through their bank accounts registered under BSH.

“Households earning RM4,000 or less will get BPN of RM1,600 while singles earning RM2,000 or less will receive BPN of RM800.

For households earning between RM4,001 and RM8,000 and singles earning between RM2,001 and RM4,000 who are registered taxpayers under the Inland Revenue Board (LHDN), MOF said they also do not need to make a new application for BPN.

BPN payments of RM1,000 for households and RM500 for eligible individuals under the category will be made directly to them through their bank accounts registered with LHDN, it added.

For those who have not yet registered, new applications can be made starting April 1 via LHDN’s website at www.hasil.gov.my, it said.

“The ministry wishes to remind the public to be wary of scammers who have become emboldened by the opportunity to commit fraud against those who need such assistance.

“Recipients are advised to refer to official sources and not to disclose any personal information to any third party,” it said.

For more information, the public can contact the MOF at 03-8882 9089/ 03-8882 9087/ 03-8882 9191/ 03-8882 4565/ 03-8882 4566 from 9am to 5pm (Sunday to Friday), through email at bsh@treasury.gov.my/ pre2020@treasury.gov.my or Telegram application PRE Prihatin or the MOF official Facebook page.

Enquiries can also be forwarded to LHDN via calls from 9am to 5pm (Sunday to Friday) at 1-800 882 747 or 03-8911 1000. – Bernama

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March 29, 2020
National Prihatin Aid: HASiL care line resumes operations on March 30

CYBERJAYA: The Inland Revenue Board (IRB) announced today that its Hasil Care Line (HCL) call centre will resume operations from tomorrow (March 30) to answer questions related to the National Prihatin Aid (BPN) and taxation issues.

In a statement issued today, the IRB said the call centre will operate throughout the movement control order (MCO) period from 9am to 5pm daily from Sunday until Friday.

It said the call centre’s number is 03-89111000 or +603-89111000 for those who are overseas.

Meanwhile, any enquires concerning the Cost of Living Aid (Bantuan Sara Hidup) can be directed to the toll-free line at 1800-88-2747.

For further information, taxpayers can direct the issues via HASiL Live Chat or by filling up the feedback form which is available at the IRB’s official website at www.hasil.gov.my, Facebook and Twitter.

The IRB said taxpayers can also access further information related to taxation issues during the MCO period by going to the website http://lampiran1.hasil.gov.my/pdf/pdfam/faq_1.pdf for Bahasa Malaysia and http://lampiran1.hasil.gov.my/pdf/pdfam/faq_2.pdf for English language.

The Finance Ministry in a statement here today said Malaysians who are eligible for financial assistance under the stimulus package will have to register with the IRB. – Bernama

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https://www.thesundaily.my/local/national-prihatin-aid-hasil-care-line-resumes-operations-on-march-30-IJ2193846

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March 29, 2020
Stimulus package will flow over the three months, says Azmin

KUALA LUMPUR: Minister of International Trade and Industry Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali (pix) said today that the Prihatin Rakyat Economic Stimulus Package is to cushion the adverse impact caused by Covid-19 on the population’s well-being.

The Prihatin Rakyat package was announced by Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin yesterday (Friday).

According to the senior minister, the situation would simply deteriorate without any form of assistance: “Companies won’t be able to operate and have no choice but to retrench their workers. We have to resort to this (stimulus), to save these workers and help employers not to dismiss them.”

“But I am confident that this package is not just about three months but will bring about manifold benefits for the future in economic activities and growth,” he said.

He said this in a programme, Bicara Naratif Pakej Rangsangan Ekonomi that was telecast live today by Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM).

“As we are aware, the world is facing a difficult situation and Malaysia is no exception in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic and global economic slowdown.

“Malaysia as an oil producing country is also impacted by falling oil prices. Hence, why we must restructure the country and take the bold step of introducing the RM250 billion stimulus package.

“Our hope is that when the movement control order (MCO) period is over, we can see a situation that is more reassuring,” he said.

Azmin revealed that the Finance Ministry has prepared a module and specifics to all the ministries, in line with their respective responsibilities, on the disbursement of assistance to the target groups, which would be monitored by the Economic Stimulus Package Implementation and Coordination of National Agencies Unit (Laksana).

“We have complete data on the recipients from the B40 and small and medium enterprises (SME).

“As for the M40, we have some setbacks as I mentioned earlier, the government had given less priority to the category. That’s probably the reason why we do not have the complete data but this will be seen to so they too can have their right to assistance,” he added. — Bernama

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https://www.thesundaily.my/local/stimulus-package-will-flow-over-the-three-months-says-azmin-XH2191514

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March 28, 2020
How to budget for COVID-19 response?

The COVID-19 pandemic requires sufficient public funding to ensure a comprehensive response. Reprioritizing public spending toward bolstering the economy and the health system requires timely action from government leaders and a supportive public finance environment. Highly-affected countries have taken various approaches to budgetary allocation, depending on their public financial management (PFM) and regulatory systems. Adjustments are required on the revenue side of budgets (e.g. loans) to account for these new economic and fiscal constraints. Quick decision-making on the expenditure side is also needed. That will be the focus of this blog. Every country must develop specific processes for allocating budget funds to the response. To inform budgetary response in countries where the pandemic may spread in the near future, a summary of observed budgetary practices in some highly-affected countries is provided below, with the aim of informing other countries about responses to three key questions:

1) What are the immediate spending actions that can be taken with existing budgets?

2) How to secure budget for COVID-19 response through revisions in finance laws?

3) What can be done to accelerate budget execution and funds release to the frontlines?

Please click here for the full article.

Authors: Hélène Barroy, Ding Wang, Claudia Pescetto, Joseph Kutzin

The authors acknowledge inputs received from Tomas Roubal (WHO Western Pacific Regional Office), Tsolmongerel Tsilaajav (WHO South East Regional Office), and Agnès Soucat (WHO Headquarters).

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This online network is a place to share information, find updates on new materials or events related to WHO’s work on health financing policy.

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https://www.who.int/news-room/detail/25-03-2020-how-to-budget-for-covid-19-response

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March 28, 2020
WHO Director-General calls on G20 to Fight, Unite, and Ignite against COVID-19

Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization, addressed Heads of State at today’s extraordinary G20 Leaders’ Summit focused on COVID-19.

He told them, “You have come together to confront the defining health crisis of our time: We are at war with a virus that threatens to tear us apart – if we let it.“

He welcomed the G20‘s initiative to find joint solutions and work together: “This is a global crisis that requires a global response.”

“Fight, unite, ignite“

Dr Tedros’ call was clear. First, he urged leaders to fight without excuses, without regrets – thanking countries who have already taken steps and urgently asking that they do more.

Second, he encouraged them to unite, stressing that no country can fight this alone, and calling on all countries to build on the solidarity already sparked by the crisis.

Third, he exhorted them to ignite a global movement to ensure this never happens again.

He welcomed G20 leaders‘ commitment “to do whatever it takes to overcome the pandemic” to protect lives and livelihoods, as well as restore confidence and shore up stability currently threatened in trade and other sectors, and to commit to take all necessary health measures and seek to ensure adequate financing to contain the pandemic and protect people, especially the most vulnerable.“

The G20 committed to support and further strengthen WHO’s mandate in coordinating the response, and called for full funding of WHO‘s Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan.

G20 members pledged to work together to increase research and development funding for vaccines and medicines, strengthen international scientific cooperation, and leverage digital technologies.

In turn, they tasked WHO and other relevant organizations with assessing gaps in pandemic preparedness and report the findings of this assessment to the G20 Finance and Health Ministers, in order to establish a global initiative on pandemic preparedness and response together.

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https://www.who.int/news-room/detail/26-03-2020-who-s-director-general-calls-on-g20-to-fight-unite-and-ignite-against-covid-19

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March 27, 2020
Justice For Sambo Abdullahi, Victory For Whistleblowers In Nigeria By Chido Onumah and Godwin Onyeacholem

Whistleblowers are the first line of defence against corruption, crime and cover-ups, according to a 2019 paper by the All–Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on whistleblowing in the UK.

For Sambo Abdullahi, head of internal audit at the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading (NBET) Plc, it has been one long tortuous journey. Over the past two years, he has been at the receiving end of the retaliation whistleblowers around the world, including in Nigeria, face for shining the light on malfeasance around them: denial of wages, job losses, expensive court cases, abuse, psychological trauma, blacklisting across their sector, and sometimes death.

Abdullahi has been denied his salary and other allowances since December 2017, threatened, blacklisted, arrested and sued. All of this for acting professionally and responding patriotically to the call of the Nigerian government asking citizens to join the fight against corruption by blowing the whistle on corrupt practices and other forms of wrongdoing in the country.

In two separate courts, in Ifo, Ogun State, and Okitipupa, Ondo State, where in a most brazen abuse of judicial process, Abdullahi was summoned to answer charges of defamation levelled against him by his boss, Dr. Marilyn Amobi, Managing Director of NBET, he easily walked through the doorway of victory. Both cases were struck out on account of Dr. Amobi’s lack of seriousness in prosecuting.

The crisis of corruption in NBET has been going on for almost three years and the government appears not to have any solution. The appointment of Dr Amobi as the second substantive MD/CEO of NBET signified doom not only for Abdullahi as head of internal audit but also for the entire staff of the company. The MD withheld Abdullahi’s salary and other emoluments just because he exercised the right to decline participation in her fraudulent activities and rejected an unwarranted deployment to a new department unilaterally created by the MD to continue to perpetrate fraud.

Abdullahi, a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), graduated in Accounting from a reputable university and has over two decades of experience. He acquired experiences from both the private and public sectors before joining NBET. He was the pioneer Head of Internal Audit of NBET in 2012; a position he held till 2016 when Dr Amobi joined the company.

Within one month of Dr. Amobi’s assumption of office, Abdullahi discovered the illegal over-payment of N2 billion to two generating plants, Omotosho Power Plc and Olorunsogo Power Plc, both of which have no Gas Supply Agreement (GSA) and Gas Transportation Agreement (GTA) as required by industry agreement. The implication of this fraudulent transaction is that electricity consumers on a monthly basis pay N2billion in excess of what they ought to have paid if this fraud is averted. It is on record that the very first month the fraud was detected, Dr Amobi assumed the role of internal auditor by signing off the payment vouchers.

Her defence for this unlawful violation was that the mandatory GSA and GTA had been waived. The questions for her are, who approved the waiver? Why was the waiver not extended to other thermal plants? And why did the waiver idea come only after the head of internal audit had uncovered the fraud?

Other transactions that made Abdullahi to incur the wrath of Dr. Amobi was his refusal to endorse other payment vouchers for illegal procurement of alcohol using taxpayers’ money, proposed monthly payment of N2.5million to one Engr. Achinaya (an ex-staff of both NEPA and PHCN) without procurement process, procurement of legal advisory services of Azinge & Azinge and Aelex law firms in gross violation of the Procurement Act, and payment for return flight ticket from London for Dr Amobi to resume work in NBET in violation of the NBET Board-approved benefit compensation packages just to mention a few.

As a retaliation against Abdullahi for doing his job professionally, which to Dr Amobi connotes standing in her way, she colluded with the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation to get rid of Abdullahi and his colleague Waziri Bintube. Both were removed from their duly appointed and NBET Board- approved functions as head of internal audit and Chief Finance Officer respectively. While Abdullahi’s salary was stopped, Bintube was sacked.

In response, the duo wrote a petition to the Ministry of Power in 2017. The ministerial committee report was released in March 2018 and vindicated them, while indicting Dr. Amobi. But despite the minister’s (Babatunde Fashola) directives that Abdullahi’s salary should be restored and Bintube reinstated immediately, and in fact that both workers should enjoy the rights of NBET staff, Dr. Amobi refused to comply with the directives.

Till date, she denies Abdullahi his salaries and Bintube has not been called back. Dr. Amobi heads a government agency supervised by a Ministry, but her insolent defiance of a Ministerial order is unprecedented in the history of public sector administration in Nigeria. And it is strange that this is happening under a government that claims to prioritize due process and accountability in the public sector.

As if the stoppage of salaries and sacking were not enough, Dr Amobi got Abdullahi and Bintube detained in the facility of the State Security Services (SSS) for more than twenty-four hours. Several directives by Babatunde Fashola, then Minister of Power, were rebuffed by Dr Amobi who insisted that as an appointee of President Muhammadu Buhari she would only take directives from the president.

While the issue of salary suspension remained unresolved in spite of interventions from the Ministry of Power, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and the office of the Vice President, among others, Abdullahi approached the National Industrial Court in December 2018, twelve months after the unlawful stoppage of his salaries, with Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Plc, Dr Marilyn Amobi (MD/CEO), Hon Minister of Power and the Ministry of Power as defendants.

On March 11, 2020, Abdullahi (the claimant) once again walked the path of victory with the court delivering judgement in his favour. According to Hon Justice O. O. Oyewumi, the act of the suspension of the claimant’s salaries from December 2017 till date was wrongful; the denial of the claimant’s 2017 and 2018 leave was wrongful; the 1st and 2nd defendants, contrary to its terms and conditions of service, withheld the claimant’s salary and other emoluments wrongfully. The judge ordered the payment of Abdullahi’s salaries and other allowances, noting, “All sums awarded in the judgement is to be paid within 30days of the judgement, failure upon which it attracts 21% interest thereon per annum.”

While the case lasted in court, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Auditor General of the Federation and the Bureau of Public Procurement all issued reports indicting Dr Amobi while recommending her immediate prosecution. Sadly, some higher powers are preventing this from happening.

Governance problems are commonly found in federal government agencies due to either lack of a Board or total collapse of the governance structure. The Director General of the Bureau of Public Enterprises, Alex Akoh, noted in a letter to the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, dated January 7, 2020, that “for the past 14 months, no Board meeting of the company (NBET) was held, a situation which has serious consequences on the corporate governance of the company”. Truth is, no Board meeting of NBET has held since August 2018 when Professor Yemi Osinbajo, then Acting President, ratified the reconstitution of the NBET Board of Directors recommended by Kemi Adeosun, the immediate past Minister of Finance.

The governance collapse in NBET has entrusted the fate of about 80 million electricity consumers in Nigeria in the hands of Dr Amobi who sees herself as not only untouchable, but also a sort of “Alfa and Omega.” She formulates and executes policies at will, such as changing the company organogram whenever she sees any staff as standing in her way. The entire senior management has passed a vote of no confidence in Dr Amobi but despite this and other fraudulent activities traceable to her, no action was taken by the government to ameliorate the problem in the power sector and curb the continuous fraud being perpetrated in NBET.

The Minister of Power of Power Engr. Sale Mamman, in December 2019, made a daring move to respond to the situation by suspending Dr. Amobi from office indefinitely. But curiously, he was overruled by President Muhammadu Buhari in less than two weeks and Dr. Amobi was returned to office.

This forced the Minister to fire a letter dated January 8, 2020, to Boss Mustapha, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, detailing investigations by the ICPC, EFCC and the reports of the Auditor General of the Federation which implicated the NBET boss “for breach of due process in the award of contracts and several financial wrongdoings.” In that letter copied to President Buhari, the Minister reminded the SGF of “the additional baggage which the suspended MD carries in the light of the anti-corruption stance of the Federal Government.”

If this government wants to be seen as genuinely fighting corruption, the NBET case is a golden opportunity to faithfully demonstrate that conviction. Dr. Amobi has been indicted for corruption by government anti-corruption agencies. The place for her, therefore, is the courtroom, not a cushioned seat of a government agency.

Meanwhile, before Dr. Amobi’s prosecution, government should direct her to obey without delay the judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction in the suit filed by a whistleblower, Sambo Abdullahi, the head of internal audit of NBET.

In addition, government should realize that all whistleblowers deserve full and effective protection from all kinds of retaliation, without which its whistleblowing policy will not succeed as an instrument for reducing corruption in the country.

Onumah and Onyeacholem are with the African Centre for Media & Information Literacy (AFRICMIL)

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March 26, 2020
Oil Benchmark Slashed To $30 Per Barrel By Nigerian Government

The Nigerian Government on Wednesday proposed $30 per barrel of oil so as to work the 2020 national budget around that.

The announcement was made by the Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed, in Abuja.

Ahmed advised a review of the 2020 budget using a $30 per barrel price benchmark in favour of the previous $57.

She also said, “The privatisation proceeds will be cut by 50 per cent, based on the adverse economic outlook on sales of the Independent Power Projects and other assets.

“The Federal Government is working on Fiscal Stimulus Measures to provide fiscal relief for taxpayers and key economic sectors.

“We will incentivise employers to retain and recruit staff during the economic downturn.

“We will stimulate investment in critical infrastructure; review non-essential tax waivers to optimise revenues, and compliment monetary and trade interventions to respond to the crisis.”

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March 26, 2020
Penang govt allocates RM75m to disbursed as aid

GEORGE TOWN: The Penang government will allocate up to RM75 million under an initiative to rejuvenate the economy that has been ravaged by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow (pix) said the money, in the form of financial incentives, will be disbursed in three components.

The first is directed at those considered most vulnerable. They include hawkers, petty traders, taxi drivers, trishaw peddlers e-hailing drivers, the disabled and those among the low income, or B40, group.

The second group to benefit from the incentive are the blue collar workers. Chow said the money is meant to help them survive and take care of their families.

The third component is to help ensure business continuity when the country gets through the crisis.

Chow, who made the announcement at his daily social media update to the public, said the state government would give a one-off payment of RM500 each to registered petty traders, hawkers, food truck vendors, tour guides, taxi drivers and trishaw peddlers.

E-hailing drivers will be given RM300 each.

Those who live in state public housing units will be exempted from paying rent for two months while those who lease lots at the wet markets, food courts and other similar facilities will not have to pay a month’s rent.

A total of RM3 million from zakat contributions has been set aside to help families of those who have contracted Covid-19.

Chow said the frontliners from the state’s two city councils will each get RM300 in recognition of their role in helping to curb the spread of the virus.

Others who will also benefit from the RM300 payout are uniformed personnel serving under the movement control order (MCO) initiative aimed to curtail the growth rate of Covid-19 infections.

A total of RM10 million has been set aside for the purchase of equipment such as protective suits, surgical masks, hand sanitizers and thermometers.

Entrepreneurs whose businesses have incurred losses as a result of the MCO will be given interest-free loans under the Penang Business Continuity plan. A total of RM30 million has been allocated for this purpose.

The 40 state assemblymen will be provided RM30,000 each to finance relief efforts for their constituents affected by the MCO.

The state will also defer payments for trading lots used by small-scale businesses.

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https://www.thesundaily.my/local/penang-govt-allocates-rm75m-to-disbursed-as-aid-BN2179939

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March 25, 2020
Motac to introduce new campaign to replace VM2020

KUALA LUMPUR: The Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (Motac) will introduce a new campaign to replace the Visit Malaysia 2020 (VM2020) campaign, which was cancelled following the Covid-19 situation.

Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri said the long-term campaign would capitalise on the ‘Malaysia, Truly Asia’ brand while highlighting the country’s unique experiences.

“Motac is confident that this effort will strengthen the country’s competitiveness and sustainability in tourism while ensuring the industry is inclusive,“ she said in a statement today.

On March 18, Nancy announced the immediate cancellation of VM2020 to prevent the spread of Covid-19, in addition to the impact of the outbreak, which had affected the local and international tourism sector.

Following the Covid-19 outbreak, Nancy said tourism industry players such as hoteliers, travel agents as well as food and beverage businesses suffered an estimated losses of RM9 billion in the first quarter of the year.

As such she said, after discussing with the industry players on March 17, it was decided that a strategic action plan should be introduced.

“Motac has put in place an action plan to help revitalise the industry and ensure the well-being of Malaysians whose livelihoods depend on this industry.

“Among those present were representatives of the associations from the hotel and tourism industry, bus operators, traders, tour guides and taxi drivers. The meeting was organised by the Tourism Recovery Action Council (TRAC),“ she added.

Nancy said Motac would discuss with the Ministry of Finance and related agencies, in looking into details tabled by the tourism industry players especially on the forms of assistance that could be channeled to the industry. – Bernama

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https://www.thesundaily.my/local/motac-to-introduce-new-campaign-to-replace-vm2020-NX2176593

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March 24, 2020
SoftBank to sell up to $41 bn in assets to buy shares, lower debt

SoftBank Group said Monday it would sell up to $41 billion in assets to finance a stock buyback, reduce debts and increase its cash reserves after weeks of heavy losses in its shares.

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https://techxplore.com/news/2020-03-softbank-bn-assets-debt.html

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March 23, 2020