Enforce full lockdown to save lives, says Pejuang

 

Pejuang says countries like Taiwan, Singapore and South Korea continue to implement strict lockdowns.

PETALING JAYA: Pejuang, the party headed by Dr Mahathir Mohamad, has recommended a full lockdown to avoid higher fatalities.

Its research bureau also questioned why the government seemed to be prioritising the economy over lives, estimating that the daily number of deaths may reach triple digits within the next two weeks.

In a statement, Akhramsyah Muammar Ubaidah Sanusi, Pejuang’s head of research, disputed finance minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz’s claim that no country had locked down the economy, noting that nations such as Taiwan, Singapore and South Korea continued to implement stricter lockdowns to flatten the curve.

On top of recommending a full lockdown, Akhramsyah recommended several measures such as addressing the double standards on enforcement of SOPs, carrying out RTK antigen mass testing at a subsidised cost for Malaysians and streamlining the entire movement control order structure with standard and simple guidelines.

Akhramsyah Muammar Ubaidah Sanusi.

He also suggested that the government improve the vaccine rollout.

He noted that the cumulative death rate had increased to 0.43% since the pandemic began. This coincided with the decrease in capacities of intensive care units nationwide.

Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) secretary-general Kamarul Baharin Mansor, however, disagreed that a total lockdown was the best solution, arguing that this would be detrimental to workers and could lead to many more losing their jobs.

He urged the government to study the matter fully, involving all relevant ministries, so that any decision made is based on scientific facts and data.

Instead of a total lockdown, MTUC suggested that the government ramp up and review the SOPs.

Kamarul Baharin Mansor.

It also suggested that non-essential services reduce the number of staff according to the SOPs set by the National Security Council (MKN).

However, Kamarul said if a total lockdown was implemented, it should be targeted at areas showing the highest jump in cases.

Putrajaya must also introduce initiatives to help workers, including reinstating the automatic bank loan moratorium for those who were most affected, and ramping up the wage subsidy programme, he said.

There must also be other forms of financial assistance for the B40 low-income group, including providing basic food items such as rice, wheat flour and cooking oil.

Kamarul said the human resources ministry should also ensure that workers, including migrant workers, did not fall victim to exploitation.

He said MTUC, through its Covid-19 Helpdesk, had received 21,953 complaints from workers who were denied their salaries, forced to take leave and retrenched during the first MCO.

There has been much speculation that a strict lockdown will be enforced in either Selangor or the whole country, following the surge in Covid-19 cases over the past week.

A high-level government meeting will be held today to discuss the matter. - FMT