By Ling Hui
KUCHING, May 8: Sarawak is more honest than Peninsular Malaysia in reporting the number of daily Covid-19 cases as the State includes both symptomatic and asymptomatic cases into the tally.
Unlike Sarawak, State Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) advisor Dato Sri Dr Sim Kui Hian said the Ministry of Health (MoH) under the federal government, when calculating the number of positive cases, does not consider those without symptoms.
He said if Sarawak were to count its Covid-19 cases the same way as the MoH, Sarawak would only have 36 new cases yesterday (May 7) and not 750 cases.
“Yes, our numbers are very high now but they are inclusive of asymptomatic cases. Sarawak is more honest in that sense.
“So, we hope that everyone could forgive and understand each other especially the authorities that have been toiling away to reduce the number of infection cases in Sarawak,” he said.
Dr Sim, who is also Minister for Local Government and Housing, said adding on that the Sarawak government including SDMC is working hard to protect the lives of all Sarawakians as the immunisation programme rolls on.
Pointing out that Sarawak’s Covid-19 death cases have breached the 200th mark yesterday, he said necessary regulations and restrictions by the Sarawak government cannot be avoided at such critical moments.
He was responding to voices from the ground complaining about the stricter standard operating procedures (SOPs) only in Sarawak including the mandatory 14-day quarantine for those returning from Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah and Labuan, as compared to the less stringent SOPs in Peninsular Malaysia where various businesses are already allowed to operate.
“Now, Peninsular Malaysia has a bigger problem than Sarawak. The figures you see in Peninsular Malaysia are only those with symptoms when screening happened.
“That is why their ICUs (Intensive Care Units) would be easily crowded because those without symptoms are not counted in the first place,” he said in a Facebook live session by Kuching South City Council (MBKS) mayor Dato Wee Hong Seng earlier today.
Sibu Municipal Council (SMC) chairman Clarence Ting was also one of the invited guests in the live session today. — DayakDaily
