Bukit Gasing rep: Ensure no more prolonged MCOs in Selangor

 

Bukit Gasing assemblyperson Rajiv Rishyakaran has called on the Health Ministry and the government to ensure there will be no more prolonged lockdowns or movement control orders (MCO) in Selangor, citing mental health and livelihood concerns as well as the economy.

“This (recent MCO) is probably the longest lockdown in the country, and all of us would definitely never want to have to go through it again.

“I call upon the Health Ministry and the government to ensure that we never have to repeat this lengthy MCO moving forward, which has been devastating on our economy, the livelihood of our people and our mental health,” Rajiv (above) said in a statement today.

On Wednesday, Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob announced that Klang Valley would move into Phase 2 of the National Recovery Plan (NRP) from today.

This comes after four months of MCO - the longest lockdown faced by the country - with the Klang Valley seeing the highest cases and hospitals at the brink of collapse.

In order to prevent similar scenarios from occurring, the DAP lawmaker urged the government to implement three measures.

“Firstly, we need to get ready for the third dose of the Covid-19 vaccine.

“Booster shots need to be planned ahead, as we know that the delivery of vaccine supplies takes time from the time the order is first placed,” he said adding that orders must be made early to allow time for delivery.

He also suggested that the ministry allow private sectors to administer the third dose for those willing to pay for it.

Rajiv called on the ministry to expand testing and hospital capacity to better prepare for a rise in cases.

“A highly efficient testing and isolating strategy is required so that we don’t U-Turn back to Phase 1 (of the NRP).

“Vaccination decreases hospitalisation rates but even that effect seems to be waning off.

“Finally, MOH also needs to prepare to be able to increase hospital capacity if the cases spike up for any reason.

“Equipment, medicine, medical personnel and volunteers should be on standby to ensure we can set up enough makeshift hospitals on short notice to take in cases that require hospitalisation in case of a sudden surge of cases,” Rajiv said.

He maintained that it was time to act now in order to move forward

“We have a second chance at this now that cases have dropped significantly, let us not waste it and cry when it is too late.

“It is a critical time now and while we are trying to balance the economy of the country alongside the pandemic, these three precautions have to be taken seriously,” he said.  - Mkini