BINTULU, June 24: Tanjong Batu assemblyman Chiew Chin Sing wants Bintulu MP Dato Seri Tiong King Sing to stop using the Covid-19 pandemic in Bintulu for what the former termed to be “cheap political publicity and stunts”.
According to Chiew, who is also Sarawak Democratic Action Party (DAP) deputy chairman, unlike three other Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) elected representatives in Bintulu, pictures of Tiong visiting roadblocks and unloading food supplies for those under lockdown have been splashed all over Chinese newspapers and social media during the last four months.
“These newspapers show him issuing statements and delivering tough talks to close down certain areas, demolish rented places and others as if trying to create an impression of him being the ‘big boss’ in the fight against Covid-19 in Bintulu.
“The effort of the BDMC (Bintulu Disaster Management Committee) and all other frontliners who have worked tirelessly must not be robbed. Credit should be accredited to where it is due.
“I believe BDMC is more than capable of knowing when and how to disseminate information that would be most conducive to appeal to the people to rally behind them in this war against Covid-19,” he said in a press statement today.
Chiew noted the large-scale testing at Sg Plan in Bintulu, prior to Gawai which was followed by a huge lockdown involving about 10,000 people, was not a mass swab test operation, and Tiong of all people should know better, being a special envoy of the Prime Minister to China.
“Tiong should know what mass testing entails and what it intends to accomplish. In fact, being the special envoy to China, he should have secured for us the China vaccine (Sinovac) at the beginning and we could have been vaccinated months ago. But unfortunately much time has been wasted,” he added.
On the same note, Chiew pointed out that Tiong also never explained clearly to the people about the objective of the massive lockdown.
To make matters worse, he said, the lockdown was to be extended if not for the angry protest by the affected residents which led to it being lifted two days later.
“The questions now are, why was it lifted so suddenly in merely two days? Could it be the pressure from the people there? Have all the people there been tested? If not, is it safe to actually lift the lockdown? What was the result accomplished in the Sg Plan lockdown? How did the people feel? What kind of impact did the sudden lifting have on the pandemic environment in Bintulu?” he questioned.
Chiew further questioned whether Tiong was prepared to explain to the people of Bintulu regarding the so-called ‘different’ anti-Covid-19 policy that the latter openly promotes.
Chiew said the people of Bintulu were suffering despite the numerous selfless efforts carried out by the frontliners.
“Despite the efforts they (frontliners) have offered and the hardship they have gone through as well as the sufferings and losses that the people and businesses in Bintulu endure since March till now, our people are still suffering and crying.
“We had lockdown after lockdown, quarantine after quarantine, swab test requirements for entering Bintulu, roadblocks and more roadblocks, prohibition of dining-in at coffeeshops, reduced work force and others.
“Does Tiong know that for the past week since June 15, the Bintulu Division has recorded triple digit Covid-19 cases in four out of seven days? This is the latest outcome of the so-called ‘a little different’ anti-Covid-19 policy,” he stressed. — DayakDaily
