Selangor Journal: Digitalisation helps cushion economic impact of COVID-19 pandemic

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SHAH ALAM, Nov 8 — The digitalisation initiatives empowered by the state government, including expanding online payment, have succeeded in reducing the economic and social impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Menteri Besar Dato’ Seri Amirudin Shari said the initiatives led by the Menteri Besar Selangor (Incorporated) (MBI), the Selangor Information Technology and Digital Economy Corporation (Sidec), and Smart Selangor Delivery Unit (SSDU) had managed to push Selangor in moving forward.

For example, Amirudin said the tax revenue collected from five land and district offices for the year had reached 89 per cent, which equates to over RM800 million.

He said the initiatives had also contributed to reducing the state’s economic impact, which recorded negative growth of 5.3 per cent last year, compared to the country’s negative growth of 5.6 per cent.

“Our efforts in digitalisation, services and e-calling sector have cushioned the economic crisis even though we were faced with health impact as well following the Covid-19 pandemic,” he said during the Selangor Civil Servant Assembly at Dewan Jubli Perak, here today.

In the 2021 Selangor Budget, Amirudin had announced an allocation of RM369 million for digitalisation programmes in the state.

Among the initiatives implemented include Selangor Freelance, which offers 5,000 training opportunities to improve digital freelance job skills, thus generating additional income.

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