YOURSAY | Stop finding excuses to justify spike in Covid numbers

 

YOURSAY | 'In fighting Covid, we need to follow the science instead of the politics.'

MOH: Covid-19 cases on the rise worldwide, not just M'sia

LimeGoose1712: This is not how we should interpret data in science. At most, the spokesperson for the Health Ministry was only stating the obvious - that many countries are facing rising Covid-19 cases.

From this observation, the only sensible follow-up question we need to ask here is why this trend is happening? And why is this happening in some countries and not others?

The virus itself does not have some kind of a resonating mechanism in which infections in one region will result in infections in other regions. This is especially so when country borders are mostly closed.

Beman: The spread of Covid-19 is a global phenomenon and not limited to Malaysia, said the Health Ministry.

Why does the ministry have to make such an obvious statement? Why is it called a pandemic if it is not a global phenomenon?

Is such a statement an attempt to distract the attention of the public away from the fact that the director-general, the ministry and the ministers could have done a better job in combating Covid-19?

Malaysians expect those people in charge to do a good job here. Mistakes may be made but they must be quickly corrected and not repeated. Lives are at stake here.

IndigoKite6964: Health Ministry, are you taking comfort that the infection numbers in our neighbouring countries are rising too? Or are you justifying the increase in Covid-19 cases in Malaysia by saying that we are only following the trend?

With our international borders officially closed, we should not be affected by what is happening in other countries – that is, only if this government would follow science instead of politics.

Do note that Thailand has twice the population compared to ours and Indonesia has about eight times of ours. Scaled down by those factors, they would have been way below 1,000 new cases each day.

Joker: Why not compare Malaysia with Singapore? If we are to compare with Thailand and Indonesia, take into account their population sizes vis-a-vis Malaysia's.

And isn't the whole point of the emergency declaration is to tackle Covid-19? Is the Covid-19 situation now better or worse than prior to the emergency?

If it is worse, then the emergency has failed in its purpose and it should be lifted and those who proposed it should apologise and resign for implementing something that is so damaging to the country's reputation with nothing, to show for it.

Fair&Unbiased: Instead of addressing issues on how to tackle the rise in the numbers, the Health Ministry and the director-general spent time finding excuses to justify the rising numbers.

It boils down to sheer bad management of the situation. Allowing ‘pasar malam’ and Ramadan bazaars to operate is the worst decision ever. Allowing indoor restaurants is another terrible decision as the virus will get recirculated in air-conditioned places.

So please don't make lame excuses that Malaysia is simply one of the countries that are experiencing the rise in numbers. It is because of your appalling management. Have a look at other Asian countries that have done well, and bow your heads in shame when you compare Malaysia to them.

Bobby0: It has been more than a year since Covid-19 reached our shores.

At one time, we were in a better position when our numbers were at a very low level, only to see it double and tripled after the greedy fiasco of grabbing Sabah from a legitimately elected administration.

If we want to compare, why not with nations that are doing better? Why pick on the nations that are seeing cases rising?

We are supposed to do better. We must always strive to reduce the number of cases. But we have failed miserably in our task.

Instead of handing the work to those who can do a better job, we are trying to justify the increase.

Dr Raman Letchumanan: Yes, as always. Scrapping the bottom of the barrel for any excuse. And selectively comparing with other countries is the age-old trick in Malaysia, however stupid and illogical it is. Are the intellectual capacities of the policymakers and governing politicians so deficient?

After all, the Health Ministry is supposed to be a professional highly-trained institution in our exacting medical science.

Okay, if you want to compare, tell us how many countries have imposed emergency and suspended Parliament to fight Covid-19?

The health minister can try looking up his database of '500 nations' in the world.

Freethinker: Managing pandemic is a local affair and depends on how the country controls it.

World number increasing does not justify local transmission increase. Be consistent in your SOP (standard operating procedure) and stop the double standards in enforcing it. The pandemic knows no race, religion or wealth.

The Analyser: Indeed, that is not a valid excuse for the rise in cases in Malaysia. The rise in cases here is because of the failure of the Malaysian system.

We may not know everything about how the virus spreads, but we do know enough to develop an effective strategy to deal with the pandemic

But, as usual, the problem is a lack of education, lack of standardised procedures, too many voices trying to capitalise on the crisis and appalling role models.

Malaysia is in control of its own destiny, but enforcement is not the answer.

Xenobio: I'm a Malaysian but currently staying in South Africa... and South Africa has not had the dreaded post-Easter holidays surge that was predicted.

Restrictions here remain at lockdown Level 3, which is similar to Malaysia's RMCO (recovery movement control order).

That shows it's possible to control the virus if people control themselves and don't behave like idiots. - Mkini