GEORGE TOWN, Jan 21 — Penang has identified the first five target groups to receive one-off cash aid as part of the state’s third assistance package.

Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said the groups will receive RM10 million in aid to alleviate the impact of the movement control order (MCO).

The RM10 million is part of the larger RM20 million financial assistance package Chow had announced last week.

“The five target groups include licensed hawkers, trishaw riders, school canteen operators, hairdressers and spas and allocations for state assemblymen, MPs and constituency coordinators,” he said in a statement today.

Licensed hawkers will each receive a one-off payment of RM500 and it is estimated a total 14,712 hawkers will benefit from this, bringing the total allocation for hawkers to RM7,356,000.

A total 288 trishaw riders will be receiving one-off payment of RM200 each while about 462 canteen operators will be receiving one-off payment of RM500 each.

Meanwhile, a total 2,929 licensed hairdressers, hair salons, beauty salons, spas and reflexology centres will receive one-off payment of RM500 each.

Finally, a total RM1,770,000 will be channelled to the 59 state assemblymen, MPs, state and parliamentary constituency coordinators as special allocation of RM30,000 each to directly assist their constituents affected by the MCO.

Chow said the allocations for the first five target groups involve a total of RM10,879,100.

The Penang state government allocated a total RM155.5 million under its special aid package 1.0, 2.0 and 2.1 last year and this RM20 million aid package is the third phase which was recently approved and will be released this year.