PRESS STATEMENT ON COVID PANDEMIC By Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah

PRESS STATEMENT ON COVID PANDEMIC 

2 JULY 2020

“Hope for the best, do our best but prepare for the worst”

By Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah

Member of Parliament 

1) Based on news reports, the Covid pandemic is of a global scale that seems frightening. More than 10 million people in the world are now infected and more than 500,000 people have died so far. The figures are still rising fast in many parts of the world. The known infections are based on those who have been tested positive. The real numbers could be many times higher since many infected people are known to have little or no signs (pre-symptomatic and asymptomatic) of Covid-19. 

2) According to numerous news reports, this deadly virus (which is still mutating) attacks the victims’ immunity system (like Aids), cause blood clot and multi-organ failure, not just the lungs. New studies have shown that this virus also attacks the testicles of young males and causes heart attacks on young people. Patients who have recovered are not immune and can be re-infected. Some patients have reported having symptoms for three months. Many doctors and health officials do not know what else to expect next. 

3) The World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned on 26 June 2020 that millions of people could die in a second wave of infections which might have already started in other countries.

4) WHO compared the current Covid pandemic with the Spanish Flu pandemic (caused by a H1N1 virus) of 1918/19 which infected more than 500 million people in a global population of 1.5 billion people then and which killed 50 million to 100 million people. The tragedy was that they could not find a vaccine. Eventually, most countries developed “herd immunity” to overcome the pandemic the “natural way” but with a huge human & economic cost. 

5) The last pandemic, the Swine Flu of 2009, by another strain of H1N1, which started in Mexico and US and affected most pig rearing countries, infected 1.4 billion people worldwide and killed between 151,700 to 575,400 people around the world. A vaccine was found 6 months after the initial outbreak and the pandemic ended. 

6) 2002/2003 SARS was only a small outbreak infecting 8,098 and killed 774 people. All the infected patients of SARS, unlike Covid-19, had clear symptoms so it was easy to identify and isolate them and control the infections.

7) When a disease reaches an epidemic or pandemic proportion, only a workable vaccine could end it, otherwise like the Spanish Flu, the cost to human lives & suffering and economic devastation would be colossal. 

8) Nature, via natural selection, has its own ways of eliminating the “inefficient” viruses. This novel coronavirus, which is still mutating, seems to be “super-efficient” in infecting, harming and hiding from detection. Only a vaccine can end the pandemic. The statement by the Government on 27 June 2020 that a vaccine is needed to resolve this pandemic, is welcome news.

9) Social measures (social distancing, wearing face mask, use of hand sanitisers, etc.) are only meant to contain and control the infections and to buy time for us until a vaccine is found. The social measures cannot end the pandemic. For a still largely un-automated and un-digitised “brick & mortar” economy like ours based mainly on agriculture, manufacturing and construction, social measures (based on studies reported) also have negative and harmful side effects, and are not sustainable on a long term basis. For example, social distancing presents a problem in early and primary education where close human interaction is required and it also disrupts most of our productive processes. Over-use of face mask can cause a lack of oxygen and too much carbon dioxide which can be harmful. Too much usage of hand sanitisers can cause skin problems. 

10) We should ensure that those who are most vulnerable (poor, sick, disable, unemployed people, etc.) are not neglected or being sidelined in any way from any forms of aids. Compassionate considerations must be given to such vulnerable groups when implementing the social measures. 

11) The Government and its relevant agencies have so far done a good job in using social measures to keep the infections low and under control. The Government has also done well in providing the healthcare and treatment needed for infected patients of Covid-19. Our frontline healthcare workers have done a marvelous job here and should be roundly applauded.

12) Despite the low infection rates at the moment but with our porous borders and millions of foreign workers and most citizens not tested yet, it is possible that there could be countless people out there who could be infected and who may be asymptomatic. This point is merely a word of caution. We really do not know the actual situation until enough tests are done. The US CDC has just announced that for every infected person detected in the USA, there are at least 10 more infected people who are undetected, meaning as many as 27 million people in the USA could be infected today. The Government agencies concerned should test as many people as possible and to learn more from other countries on the contact tracing system with those tested positive.

13) We should be honest and realistic with ourselves and while we should do our best, we should not be too concerned about having zero cases of infections. Of course, it is most welcomed if we achieve zero cases, but it may not be sustainable until a vaccine is found and based on point 12 above. Based on news reports, Beijing had zero cases of Covid-19 for 56 days until there was 1 new case on 10 June 2020 and by 14 June 2020, they had 51 new cases. New Zealand, a secluded island of 5 million people, after 24 days of zero cases, reported 2 new cases on 17 June 2020. 

14) The Government’s main responsibility is to continue to ensure that agreed social measures (SOP) are being implemented appropriately, provide adequate healthcare & treatment and to prepare the country for future waves of infections.

15) Until a workable vaccine is found, we have to find the right balance on the social measures needed to control future infections and how to carefully open up our damaged economy to stop the internal hemorrhage. The Government has stated that tourism (worst hit sector), has suffered a loss of RM 45 billion in the first half of this year. The Government has also warned of RM 1 trillion losses caused by a collapse of the banking and financial system if the economy is not open up soon enough. This is the greatest challenge today for our country (and other countries) to address.

16)  Since the only way to end this 'silent genocide' is to find a vaccine and we do not have any local expertise in this area and in view of the global geo-politics & pharma-politics of Covid vaccines, our government and the banking & financial sector (for the sake of its own survival) should do much more to support, assist and facilitate any genuine private sector initiatives in finding and securing a workable vaccine from reputable sources overseas. Most vaccine developments overseas are undertaken by private sector biotech firms.

17) As we are still sailing in unchartered waters and we should learn as much as possible from the measures undertaken in other countries. We should also not take anything for granted and be open and innovative in exploring any viable ideas needed. We need a holistic integrated approach, including protecting nature and environment, to deal with this deadly and devastating pandemic.

18) This pandemic is too important for our country’s survival to be politicized by any quarters. I would like to call upon all parties, all sectors and the public to support the government of the day in managing this crisis equitably for all. Our country needs to be united and coordinated in facing this most dangerous and invisible threat to our very existence.

Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah

Member of Parliament 

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