Kota Kinabalu MP calls on CM to include opposition in efforts to curb Covid-19

 

COVID-19 | Kota Kinabalu MP Chan Foong Hin has called on the Sabah Chief Minister Hajiji Nor to include the opposition members in the effort to combat the impacts of Covid-19 pandemic.

In a statement, Chan, who is the Sabah DAP secretary, has suggested for opposition members to be included as council members in the new Sabah Economic Council.

This followed Hajiji's announcement yesterday on the setting up of the council to chart the way forward in the state's economic recovery.

Hajiji has yet to announce the council members, but it is learned that it would comprise captains of various industries, businesspersons, NGOs, and academicians.

"I hereby call upon Hajiji to be more inclusive and to have bipartisanship in mind when appointing the council members," he said.

He urged the state government to carry out an "all-of-government" and "whole-of-society" mindset and immediately cease the mentality of excluding opposition members of the state assembly from taking part in the state's war against Covid-19.

Furthermore, Chan stressed that Hajiji should not ignore the opposition as Warisan, DAP, PKR, and UPKO had won 43.42 percent of the total votes cast in the recent snap polls, while PN, BN, and PBS received 43.21 percent of the votes.

He lamented that currently the state government had been seen to turn a deaf ear to suggestions by opposition members, as well as giving them the cold shoulder whenever they offered to help.

"It is very sad when the state government puts sustaining their own political capital as a priority and would rather not allow the opposition do something that would help if it would end up increasing the opposition's popularity amongst the people.

"Whilst they are politicians at their core, they should start thinking like a human being and do what is best for the other fellow human being."

On another matter, Chan said he has no problem with supporting Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin's 2021 budget.

"However, the issue is, will Muhyiddin continue to give us members of the opposition the cold shoulder? Will he embrace we, as the representatives of our respective constituents?

"Is Muhyiddin willing to consider extending the automatic moratorium for all loans? Is he willing to amend the Covid-19 Act to include more safeguards as recommended by the opposition?

"Is the DAP's terms and conditions as stated by Anthony Loke so unacceptable that he could not even consider them?" he asked. - Mkini