Don’t politicise Covid-19, Rafidah tells Putrajaya

 

Rafidah Aziz says mixing the Covid-19 pandemic with politics will only prolong the problem.

PETALING JAYA: Former federal minister Rafidah Aziz tonight urged Putrajaya not to politicise the Covid-19 pandemic as it would not help end the pandemic.

Rafidah, who served as a minister from 1980 to 2008, said if the emergency was used to prevent a Parliament sitting, it meant it was politically motivated.

“We need to discuss steps to tackle Covid-19 and that has nothing to do with the state of emergency.

“We cannot mix Covid-19 with politics, or the problem will prolong,” she said in an Astro Awani interview.

Rafidah, a former Wanita Umno chief who was famously known as the Iron Lady of Malaysia, said the emergency left a huge implication as Parliament had been suspended.

She also said that the pandemic could be managed by imposing movement restrictions and the closing of borders in order to stop the virus from spreading.

“There is no need for an emergency to be declared to manage Covid-19,” she added.

She also supported recent calls, particularly by the opposition, for the emergency declaration to be rescinded.

The King, Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah, had last month consented to a state of emergency to contain the Covid-19 pandemic, which is to last until Aug 1, or an earlier date if the number of infections was to reduce by then.

“I would support an emergency if there was chaos, demonstrations and people killing each other. Then yes, an emergency would be compulsory.

“Otherwise it gives the impression that the country is in tumult,” she said. - FMT