KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 3 ― Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Economy) Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed said the government will find a more realistic approach for its long-term plan to help the people and prevent the country from losing revenue while facing the pandemic and a troubled economy.

He noted that the country lost about RM2.4 billion in revenue daily when strict lockdown was imposed.

Hence, allowing the reopening of all sectors of the economy to eliminate any gap in the people’s income was a consideration under the long-term plan, he said.

He said the move was particularly imperative to help those in the informal sector such as micro business and night market traders. 

"So for the long-term plan, we have no choice but to be realistic and see this Covid-19 as a symptom that will be with us for some time until the government can provide vaccinations to the whole Malaysian population,” he said among others, during a "Perspective” session with Astro Awani, today.

Mustapa stressed that strict standard operating procedures (SOPs) will remain in place to curb the Covid cases.

The government’s approach has changed compared to the early days of Covid-19, where the focus was more on people's health and to control the pandemic,” he added. ― Bernama