KUCHING, July 12: Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) Backbenchers Club has urged the State Democratic Action Party (DAP) chief Chong Chieng Jen to stop playing politics amid the fight to curb Covid-19 in Sarawak.
The Club was referring to a statement by Chong on July 12, who was quoted as saying the GPS’s support for Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin will only prolong the people’s suffering.
“The people are jaded with political talks particularly with the current situation in Malaya. What the nation needs at this time is a stable government to oversee the efforts to recover the country during the Covid-19 pandemic which requires the cooperation of all and the support of the public.
“Destabilising the current administration with the belief that things will all turn out fine is, as Chong had said, ‘fallacious’. We can’t take any chances; we shouldn’t gamble with the lives of the people,” the Club said in a statement today.
The Club further questioned Chong if it is not Muhyiddin, who would he (Chong) and the State DAP prefer to be the head of the federal government during this time?
“Currently the people have seen enough of the political tug-of-war that is happening in Malaya. A full scale political crisis during this time would do no favour to anyone.
“The GPS, as it did during the political impasse in Feb 2020 is only interested in saving the nation as it needed a stable federal government. It is no different this time,” it added.
The Club also said that in contrast to Chong’s rhetorical statement, the Sarawak government has been protective in both containing the local Covid-19 situation as well as doling out the assistances for the people.
This is proven with the fact that the State’s vaccine rollout is among the highest, if not the highest nationwide. More and more people are receiving the Covid-19 vaccine jab, ensuring that they are protected from the infections.
The Club also reiterated that through the standard operating procedures (SOPs) set by the Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (SDMC), along with the mass vaccination, the Covid-19 cases in the State has seen some improvements although it has not fully stabilised.
“We hope that this will continue and we appeal to the public to play their roles and do their parts in ensuring that the State can make full recovery for everyone’s sake.
“Our advice to Chong, quoting an old saying: If you are not part of the solution, then you are part of the problem,” it emphasised. — DayakDaily
