DAP's Segambut MP Hannah Yeoh has asked Ismail Sabri Yaakob to follow his own advice to stop politicking and implement some quick changes, now that he has been elevated to the post of deputy prime minister.
Among the changes she asked him to look at are to open stationery shops and outdoor morning markets as well as allow personal health, grooming and wellness services to resume.
"We now have a new deputy prime minister who, just not too long ago, posted on Facebook with a cryptic caption that he 'has closed the front door but…'
"With his newly acquired powers as the deputy prime minister, I urge Ismail Sabri to heed his own advice to stop politicking and focus on helping the people by fixing some of these basic discrepancies with the lockdown standard operating procedures (SOPs) immediately," Yeoh said in a statement this morning.
She said the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government wants people to work from home and students to learn online but has ordered all stationery shops to shut.
"Books do not fall from the sky and papers do not fly on their own. This baffling SOP creates a hardship for people who have to move from shop to shop just to photocopy, print or bind documents.
"There are students attending art lessons and all kinds of other lessons online. Where does the government expect them to obtain the tools for effective learning?" Yeoh asked.
She added that parents need stationery supplies to help children survive this lockdown.
Open-air morning markets
On open-air morning markets, Yeoh argued that it would encourage shopping areas with greater ventilation and less crowding.
"I wish to highlight the case of the Taman Kok Doh morning market in my parliamentary constituency, which has many senior citizens relying on its services daily.
"The order to shut during the total lockdown has forced the senior citizens to travel to the next closest hypermarket in a neighbouring parliamentary constituency, resulting in additional travel expenses for them and also a less safe environment as it is an indoor market.
"Where is the logic in this SOP when all other roadside stalls are allowed to operate during this lockdown?" questioned the former deputy minister.
Yeoh also called on Ismail Sabri to get the government to permit personal health, grooming and wellness services such as chiropractors, barbers, hairstylists or any licensed therapists to resume business, based on the previously issued SOPs and safety features.
"Malaysia has done this in various versions of lockdown since 2020, but I have been informed that chiropractors are not allowed to operate during this lockdown while physiotherapists can. Why would a physiotherapist be less likely to transmit the virus than a chiropractor?"
Maybe DPM can do what a senior minister couldn't
"For whatever reasons, our deputy prime minister was not able to fix the above-mentioned discrepancies when he was a senior minister in charge of the National Security Council.
"I hope this new position would give him the authority and inspiration needed to get the related ministries in line," Yeoh added.
She said many more discrepancies could be ironed out.
"These are basic nonsensical SOPs that have affected the livelihood of thousands of working Malaysians, students and children. Malaysians can no longer afford to sit at home.
"Many have exhausted their savings and can no longer afford to pay rent or utility bills. Only a wicked government would sit back and do nothing when all it takes is one coordination meeting to be chaired by the newly minted deputy prime minister to immediately provide relief to the people.
"Prove your worth Mr DPM - otherwise this appointment is a mere political stunt," Yeoh added. - Mkini
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