CORONAVIRUS | A total of 231 Kinabalu mountain guides affected by the movement control order (MCO) have been paid RM300 each by the Sabah state government.

Disclosing this, Sabah Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment Christina Liew said the amount was banked into their respective bank accounts.

"Payment was done by the Sabah State Treasury. The payments for another 82 Kinabalu mountain guides and porters are being processed and they should receive the money within one or two days.

"For the remaining 102 Kinabalu mountain guides who do not have a bank account, the Sabah Parks Board will make the disbursement at a later date as part of their corporate social responsibility (CSR) programme," she said in a statement here, tonight.

Liew, who is also deputy chief minister, said 1,038 freelance tourist guides had also been paid directly through their respective bank accounts on Thursday through the Sabah Tourism Board (STB).

She said the ministry has received an allocation of RM311,400 from the Sabah Rural Development Ministry for the purpose.

The sum would be channelled later to STB as reimbursement for the payment made to the freelance tourist guides concerned.

"The minister also said that appeals for help by 293 artists, musicians, singers and deejays are now being considered by the state government for the second phase of assistance," Liew added.

- Bernama

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