By Ashley Sim
KUCHING, March 3: Sharing his experience after getting infected with Covid-19, Bintulu MP Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing has expressed concern over the rising cases in Bintulu before calling on the public to avoid gatherings such as dinner celebrations and barbeques.
After being infected with the dreaded virus, Tiong said he realised how valuable and fragile life was.
“While some of us may believe that the Omicron variant is nothing more than a common flu and cold, I can tell you that my body feels different after a few days of being infected with this virus.
“I feel uneasy; this is not a typical cold. I was easily fatigued as a result of the various symptoms I experienced. However, I am grateful for the medical staff’s attentiveness. My condition gradually improved, and I am now able to return to a normal life,” said Tiong, who is also Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) president.
Tiong said that even though he has recovered and completed his self-quarantine, his emotions are still conflicted especially after noticing that the public have gone lax with Covid-19 preventive measures with many holding mass gatherings as well as small-group fun meetings.
“I’m relieved to be free of Covid-19, but I’m concerned because the latest positive cases in Bintulu have reached 82 cases today, and I was informed that these cases occurred as a result of social activities such as large dinner celebrations, barbeque nights, and so on.
“The public is no longer vigilant in the face of the Covid-19 epidemic, which began spreading in Malaysia two years ago. In fact, some of us continue to take it lightly and ignore standard operating procedures (SOPs),” the Dudong assemblyman stated.
The Dudong assemblyman understood that the Covid-19 SOPs are now being relaxed, and people have begun receiving booster dose injections.
However, to him, this does not mean that the people are immune to the virus. Even if some of the people received the third booster shot, they are still at risk of infection, though their symptoms may be milder than those who did not receive a booster dose.
Tiong, who is the Prime Minister’s Special Envoy to China, called on the public to continue to adhere to the SOPs to curb the spread of the pandemic.
He asked people to stay at home if there was nothing important to do outside, to avoid crowded places, to wash their hands and use disinfectant fluids regularly. — DayakDaily
