FORMER Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak today lashed out at the Government for wasting precious time in their abysmal efforts in flattening the COVID-19 curve.
“Those who have followed my postings would know that I have called for the Government to postpone the reopening of schools to after Chinese New Year holidays; provided we implement an all-out strict lockdown under the movement control order (MCO 2.0).
“But no thanks to the half-baked MCO rules, not only have we wasted 18 precious days but our daily COVID-19 infection cases are breaking all records,” he said, in a Facebook post.
For the last two days, daily COVID-19 cases have breached the alarming 5,000 mark, triggering public outcry and confusion on why infection cases are rising despite the MCO 2.0 and Emergency proclamation.
Unlike the first MCO back in March last year, the Government had allowed many economic sectors to continue operating, even those which had COVID-19 outbreak cases such as manufacturing.
Two days ago, Finance Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz said that the Government would not impose a “total lockdown”, even in the worst-case scenario.
Hurling brickbats against the Government, Najib said the Government should have used effective measures and impose strict rules during MCO 2.0 to contain the pandemic sooner.
“Now many are affected due to the half-baked MCO, especially our schoolchildren. Within one week alone, our schools have to be closed down one by one after detecting an outbreak there.
“Even if the Government does reopen the schools, parents will be reluctant to send their children as infection cases are rising. As a result, an entire generation of our children had their education disrupted.
“Are we going to wait another 18 months, after vaccinating 70% of the population, before parents can feel safe to send their children back to school?” asked the Pekan MP.
On related matter, Umno deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan mocked arguments made by the Government in the past on the need to proclaim Emergency to contain the pandemic.
“Ooops…I thought the Emergency declaration would reduce the number of COVID-19 cases,” the Rantau state assemblyman said in a jest. – Jan 31, 2021.
