IPOH, Dec 3 — Perak PKR today urged the Perak government to focus on four segments — health, economy, women and youth — when tabling the Perak Budget 2021 at the next state assembly sitting.

State PKR vice-chairman Tan Kar Hing said the government should provide free hand sanitisers and reusable face masks to all university and school students in Perak.

"Schools are experiencing problems acquiring face masks and sanitisers as they cannot conduct fundraising programmes to cover the additional cost during this conditional movement control order (CMCO) period.

"Also the government should hire more medical workers via contracts to overcome the constraints faced by the Health Department amid the increase in Covid-19 cases,” he told a press conference at the Perak PKR Office in Medan Istana here.

The party’s secretary Mohd Azlan Helmi said the state government should provide free licence for a year to all traders and premises registered under the local authorities and allocate additional funds to small- and medium-sized entrepreneurs (SME) to boost the state’s economy.

"The state should also extend government agencies’ loan moratoriums until June next year and offer a 50 per cent discount on quit rent and assessment fees.

"We suggest that the state create an e-commerce portal for the people of Perak so they can start e-businesses via that platform. This portal will also help to create job opportunities via the establishment of e-Runner,” he said.

"We also urge the state to give housewives who register with the portal a RM50 eWallet,” he added.

Meanwhile, the party’s Women chief Junaidah Jamaludin said the state should empower women development institutions and increase their skills via specialised programmes.

"We urge the government to allocate special funds to provide counselling and legal services in order to solve problems related to women’s affairs, especially domestic abuse.

"We also urge the government to start childcare centres, especially for those with special needs, across the state,” she said.

The PKR state Youth wing chief Mohamad Hairul Amir Sabri urged the state to increase information technology and revamp job opportunities schemes to help youth who are affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.

"The state should also upgrade the internet service as studies are now going online and also extend the government education loan moratoriums.

"The state should also focus on creating more young entrepreneurs to boost the economy,” he said.

The State Legislature reconvenes for the tabling of the state’s Budget 2021 on December 4 and continues from December 7 to 11.

Separately, PKR vice-chairman Anuar Zakaria said that the party has yet to decide whether to contest the Gerik by-election.

"So far there has been no discussion yet among state party members about the by-election. The decision will be made by the central leadership,” he told reporters briefly when met at the party’s office here.

On November 27, Election Commission (EC) chairman Datuk Abdul Ghani Salleh announced that the Gerik parliamentary by-election is set for January 16 with nomination day set for January 4.

Incumbent Datuk Hasbullah Osman died on November 16.