Ask PM on tabligh event approval? Najib claims Dzul answered his own question

CORONAVIRUS | Former premier Najib Razak today claimed that former health ministry Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad had previously answered his own question on police approval given for the Sri Petaling tabligh gathering to proceed.

In a Facebook post, Najib (above) cited Dzulkefly's response to Health Minister Dr Adham Baba, as reported by online portal Free Malaysia Today.

Dzulkefly was quoted as saying that Adham should question Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin - as then Home minister - on approvals granted for the gathering held several days after the downfall of Pakatan Harapan's administration.

Najib, in response, highlighted Dzulkefly's comments made on Feb 12, a day before police issued an approval for the gathering held from Feb 27 to March 1 at the Sri Petaling mosque.

"On Feb 12 (a day before police approved the tabligh event), Dzul said: 'There is no need to postpone activities involving the public including festivities, or to close schools as advised by the World Health Organisation'," said Najib who cited a Sinar Harian report that quoted Dzulkefly.

"Yes, Harapan went against WHO's recommendations and looked down on WHO's warning.

"Malays forget easily," he further claimed in an apparent swipe at Adham's critics.

At that time, Dzulkefly (below) also reportedly said there were only 18 Covid-19 cases in Malaysia, therefore WHO's warning must be seen from the appropriate context.

Speaking to Malaysiakini, Dzulkefly yesterday said now was not the time to point fingers over the Sri Petaling cluster of infections.

However, the Selangor Covid-19 Task Force chief also said that if Adham insisted on finding fault over the Sri Petaling cluster, the latter should be aware that approval for gatherings falls under the Home Ministry's purview, not the Health Ministry's.

The Sri Petaling cluster, also known as the "tabligh cluster" accounts for more than 36 percent of the total number of Covid-19 cases in the country as of noon today.

Adham claimed the situation would have been different if this cluster was prevented. - Mkini