UMNO president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi appealed to the Government to put people lives first as COVID-19 cases skyrockets, nearly touching the 7,000 mark daily.
“Though some are against a full lockdown, people’s lives are more important now. Prioritise public health for the next one or two months.
“Once the pandemic comes under control, then we can look into rejuvenating the economy. Use MCO 1.0 as a benchmark,” he said, on his Facebook post.
Yesterday, the Health Ministry (MOH) reported 6,509 new infections, with 61 deaths. Selangor still recorded the highest number of infections, by virtue of being one the main economic hubs of the nation.
Despite pleas from various quarters, the Government decided against a full lockdown saying it had to strike a balance between lives and livelihood.
The decision was met with backlash by various quarters including former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak. Subsequently, people took to social media to vent out their anger, with #KerajaanBodoh trending on Twitter over the weekend.
EPF withdrawals, loan moratorium
Zahid, a former deputy prime minister, said that the situation now is getting critical with public health facilities and quarantine centres getting overwhelmed.
He added that it did not help when people had to wait in long queues at stadiums and community halls to get their swab tests done.
“Are we going to wait until we have 10,000 infections daily before taking drastic action? Prevention is always better than cure.
“And please consider the plight of our frontliners. Our doctors, nurses, police officers and others are overwhelmed, working day and night since last year. They have sacrificed so much,” Zahid stated.
On that note, the Bagan Datuk MP said Umno Youth had proposed the Government to embark on seven initiatives, which would help alleviate economic problems faced by the public if the Government imposes a full lockdown.
Among others, he said, was for the continuation of i-Sinar and i-Lestari withdrawals, unconditional loan moratoriums between three and six months and bar inter-state/inter-district travels.
“Close down factories which contribute to COVID-19 outbreaks temporarily and allow e-hailing services to continue operating to send goods and essential items.
“The important thing is the ensure essential services such as water supply, electricity, postal services, public transport and others are not disrupted during the total lockdown,” Zahid noted. – May 25, 2021.
Photo credit: Astro Awani
