UMNO president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi recently said that it was unfair to blame his party or link it to the failures of the Perikatan Nasional-led Government, including the battle against the COVID-19 pandemic.
In a Facebook post, Zahid acknowledged that while it was true there were several Umno MPs and ministers in the Government, the party really had little say on the country’s policy-making.
In his haste to deny responsibility, Zahid seemed to have forgotten that a number of Umno ministers currently hold important portfolios in the Government, with many of them put in charge of COVID-19 standard operating procedures (SOPs) and vaccination efforts.
On the top of the list is, of course, UMNO vice-president and Defence Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, who is the senior minister in charge of overseeing the enforcement of SOPs against COVID-19.
Meanwhile, the Special Committee on COVID-19 Vaccine Supply (JKJAV), which is in charge of the vaccination efforts, is also led by two Umno ministers, namely Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Khairy Jamaluddin and Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba.
In the country’s fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, to call the trio – Ismail Sabri, Khairy and Dr Adham – the voice of authority isn’t really too far-fetched.
After all, hadn’t the SOPs for the various movement control orders (MCOs), along with the numerous public healthcare and vaccination policies originated from the ministries that are helmed by the aforementioned ministers as well?
If anything, Zahid’s claims that Umno had voiced concerns regarding the deteriorating COVID-19 situation many times, and that most suggestions and recommendations were not heeded truly reeks of cowardice and irresponsibility, and is unfitting for a person of his stature and unacceptable for a party leader.
If Umno is unwilling to accept the fact that it has a heavy hand in the current mess we are in, why continue to stay in the PN Government?
If Umno no longer feels that it has anything of value left to contribute to the current Government, maybe there is only one course of action left, and that is to withdraw support for PN. The ball, it seems, is really in their court now. – June 2, 2021
