By Lim Kit Siang and Dr Mohamad Rafick Khan
DEAR Prime Minister,
We refer to the National Security Council (NSC) daily press conference conducted by Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob on Jan 8 regarding the special announcement by you that is scheduled today, regarding Government’s action in controlling the spread of COVID-19.
Allow us to bring the voice of the citizens, express our worries and put forward suggestions that we have collected for your attention to be considered by the Government.
1. Health Ministry’s (MOH) ability to handle COVID-19
The MOH’s daily announcement describes the strategy in our war against COVID-19 as being fully borne by the MOH and it almost failed. It is reported that the country’s healthcare system is almost paralysed.
The fact is that this paralysis is caused by a weak strategy, less dynamic and more towards a reactive response to the problems that arise.
This war requires the involvement of all citizens, various Government agencies, all state governments and political parties in the country.
We therefore call on the Government to take an open and inclusive attitude and include all stakeholders, regardless of political background as well as experts in the field of strategy and science.
Citizens can help if the Government displays the exact location of active cases on websites where they can control their movements on their own.
Supporting capacity to the MOH needs to be increased to ensure that more isolation centers are opened so that hospital use is optimised and the purchase of specialised equipment and medicines such as ventilators needs to be increased. The people’s vaccination plan needs to be detailed to reduce people’s anxiety.
2. Economic anxiety due to the possibility of a new movement control order (MCO)
The resumption of MCO will only burden the people. The poor are in great distress. MCO is aimed at slowing the spread of disease and increase the ability of the healthcare system to fight disease.
We are confident that the MOH and the Government have complete information to determine what needs to be done in improving treatment capacity. So, all that needs to be done is just to slow down the spread of the disease.
This means that MCO is not needed and strict movement control of the people will be more effective if all parties can see the position of active cases displayed on a map on the website.
With open information like this, all Government agencies and NGOs can play a more effective role. A more inclusive strategy can be devised by all parties and controlling the spread in small areas, without the need to impose a MCO.
Action at this time must balance the economic impact on the country, the suffering of the people and also the congestion in the Government healthcare system.
A specialist study from Sungai Buloh Hospital (a nationwide observational study by Benedict Lim Heng Sim et al) reported that up to 92% of COVID-19 patients experience mild symptoms (which do not need to be hospitalised) and daily MOH statistics displayed on Jan 8 shows that the death rate is only 0.4% of the total infected.
Although detailed death data is not publicised by the Government, assistance should be targetted at the treatment stage to lower mortality rates. The need for additional equipment, medicines and specialists from the private sector and from abroad should be studied.
The conclusion here is clear that MCO is not needed and if re-implemented, it will bring serious misfortune to the people and the country.
3. Parents’ concerns related to their children’s schooling
The rescheduling of National Examinations such as SPM causes children to lose focus and stamina and have an impact on the next stage of learning.
A study of COVID-19 case data showed that disease transmission involving schools was almost zero. The MOH can confirm this matter.
Therefore, there is no specific justification for closing schools nationwide to control the spread of disease. The display of active disease case maps on the website will allow parents and the school to play a role in the prevention and spread of the disease.
What needs to be done is to increase preventive measures and involve all parties in disease control inclusively.
Obviously, if the density of school students should be reduced, it can be done through a combination of study at school and online for students who do not take the national examination. For Year 6 (UPSR), Form 3 (PMR) and Form 5 (SPM) students, activities must be continued in the school and the school should be allowed to arrange disease control measures as issued by the MOH.
4. Impact on the national economy
The impact on the country’s economy and population can be felt today. The effects of financial stimulus are unpredictable and the impact on the people is quite alarming. We would like to suggest that the Government stimulus method be reviewed, in terms of delivery. Clearly Bantuan Sara Hidup (BSH) alone does not help the people.
For the success of Malaysia as a multi-racial country, political cooperation should be extended to all parties, including Pakatan Harapan. Government needs to be restructured and eschew narrow political practices. Politics must be for the people and more inclusive and it can be done if the Prime Minister opens the path.
The letter is authored by Iskandar Puteri MP Lim Kit Siang and Dr Mohamad Rafick Khan, who is the CEO of Munich Re Retakaful (MRR).
The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Focus Malaysia.
