Two years into the outbreak of Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has shown that the pandemic affected more than just health and the global economy. The volatile economic situation brought about by COVID-19 disruptions requires a more targeted and effective package stimulus. As a response plan, the government has taken the initiative to implement an eight-stimulus package worth RM530 billion which includes direct fiscal injection from the government to ease the impact of the pandemic on the economy and improve the livelihoods of the rakyat. However, as the number of unemployment rises causing more people to lose income; SMEs face difficult times to operate efficiently, and the capacity of public health is soaring high under pressure; these stimulus packages need to be reviewed from time to time for improvement and to ensure the initiatives meet the intended objectives. In this respect, the objective of the policy brief is to explore the main initiatives of the stimulus packages, discuss the issues and challenges, and recommend strategies to fill the gaps to increase effectiveness and positive impact on the Malaysia economy.
