'Mystery' over NRP criteria erodes public confidence, Kit Siang tells govt

 

DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang said the lack of clarity on the National Recovery Plan has eroded public confidence in the government's strategy.

This is after it was announced that Perlis, Sarawak, and Labuan will be entering Phase 3 of the NRP despite the last two not meeting the criteria the government had set in July.

"The mystery on what basis a state is placed in an NRP phase is one reason why there is no public confidence in the plan and why a new policy and strategy must be crafted in view of the dismal failures of the (present) strategy.

According to the initial criteria set by the federal government, the seven-day average of daily new Covid-19 cases for Sarawak must be 345 to enter Phase 2, 172 for Phase 3 and 43 for Phase 4.

As of today, the seven-day average of new daily Covid-19 cases is 482.

Sarawak moved into Phase 2 on July 14. At the time, it met the criteria for Phase 2 but had since regressed.

A more advanced phase provides for more easing of restrictions against Covid-19.

Meanwhile, the seven-day average for Labuan and Perlis are at 12 and 11 cases respectively.

The government's initial criteria for Labuan to move into Phase 2 is a seven-day average of 12 cases, six for Phase 3 and two for Phase 4.

As for Perlis, the criteria include a seven-day average of 31 cases for Phase 2, 16 for Phase 3 and four for Phase 4.

Based on these criteria, only Perlis qualifies for Phase 3.

Finance Minister Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz - who is in charge of the NRP - had said that the plan is dynamic and that criteria for Phase 3 might change. - Mkini