Melaka govt announces four Rahmah, Prihatin Rakyat initiatives for the people

MELAKA - Chief Minister Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh today announced four initiatives under the Melaka Rahmah Aid and Prihatin Rakyat, involving financial implications amounting to RM16.4 million.

He said the four initiatives are aimed at reducing the burden and cost of living of the people, especially Melaka natives and the B40 group, thus increasing welfare and progress in the state.

The first initiative was free parking access for seven days at parking bays under four local authorities in the state starting 1 Syawal, involving a financial implication of RM519,000, he said.

"The second initiative is to reduce the license fee by 50 per cent, involving 6,223 licensees who are petty traders and hawkers, from June to the end of December this year, worth RM548,000.

"As for the third initiative, it is to waive service charges or fines for late payment of assessment rates for those who can pay the entire assessment rate payment and penalty charges, involving the residential, commercial and industrial categories for the year 2023, with financial implication of RM14.12 million,” he said.

He said this at a press conference after the state government's monthly assembly and the breaking of the fast event with Melaka civil servants, at the Melaka International Trade Centre.

Ab Rauf said the fourth initiative was to waive all parking as well as petty traders and hawkers’ compounds, issued from March 1 to 30, in conjunction with his appointment as Chief Minister of Melaka, involving financial implications worth RM1.18 million.

Meanwhile, he added that the Melaka government will implement an 'open day' on Thursdays at the end of every month, to make it easier for the people to meet him on a walk-in basis, either at his office (Seri Negeri) until 5pm, or continuing at the Sri Bendahara until 2am.

He also said that the state government will establish a digital village, in an effort to ensure that every house in the village has a complete address, be more systematic and make it easier for the Statistics Department to reorganise information related to the people.

He said the initiative, aimed at improving the existing delivery system, had been refined at all levels of state government agencies and departments, such as district offices and local authorities, and it was now waiting for time to be implemented in the near future, starting in Masjid Tanah. - BERNAMA