KUCHING, 9 Jan: The Ministry Of Health (MOH) Malaysia is urged to fix the loopholes and gaps in the system to prevent more cases of Covid-19 reported daily.
Bintulu Member of Parliament Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing said instead of repeatedly blaming the rising confirmed cases on having more testing and positive diagnoses, the root cause of the pandemic must be treated well and not only to focus on the symptoms.
He said, with the current situation, the MOH and Health Department had given an impression of being directionless in preventing more outbreaks, with no coherent strategy or specific policies.
“In Malaysia’s population of 33 million, the number of infections is reaching new highs almost daily. The people definitely cannot help but feel doubt against the MOH and Health Department.
”We need to remind the Federal Health Department not to be so enamoured by the adoration of the public and be blinded to the other responsibilities of the office,” he said in a statement today.
Tiong said, the non-existent decisiveness and poor decision-making in MOH and Health Department had resulted in Peninsular Malaysia seeing a spike in Covid-19 infection, thus falling behind Sarawak in containing the outbreak.
He said, the Mador Cluster is a good example of action taken by the State Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) in containing the Covid-19 outbreak from spreading to nearby areas or district.
“As soon as the SDMC discovered this cluster, it had immediately closed off Maradong district and stopped people from entering or exiting Bintangor,” he said.
Tiong, who is also Progressive Democratic Party president, stated that only well planned decision-making can be an effective counter to the pandemic.
He is also grateful to the SDMC for its continuous vigilance and decisiveness in putting the people first as the chief body in charge of stopping more outbreaks although the local pandemic has once again reached a dangerous level.
The SDMC, he added has become the first line of defence for Sarawakians against the pandemic by decisively implementing a quick action to stem the spread of the pandemic.
“In Sarawak, the SDMC had quickly stemmed the spread of the 37 confirmed cases in the Pasai Siong cluster, into the larger community.
“After the test results were released at about 10pm last night and the confirmed cases were identified, the state and local governments led by YB Dr Annuar Rapaee, Assistant Minister for Public Health and Housing were instructed by the SDMC to urgently arrange for PDRM to block major roads.
“The relevant authorities this morning quickly and decisively implemented a widespread blockade, to limit the movements of eight longhouses’ residents in the affected areas, while the State Welfare Department was on the ground to provide food relief,” he said.
Meanwhile Tiong also urged the state government to continue to exercise its autonomy in preventing more cases as there is no need to fully adhere to the federal government’s policies regarding the matter.
He also called on Sarawakians to give their cooperation in helping the government and SDMC with contact tracing as that may help flatten the curve of cases in Sarawak and the country as a whole. — DayakDaily
