Rafidah: Imposing emergency over Covid-19 like killing rats with bomb

 

PETALING JAYA: Declaring a state of emergency to deal with the Covid-19 pandemic is like “killing a few rats using a bomb, ” says former Cabinet minister Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz.

Rafidah, who was popularly known as the “Iron Lady” during her cabinet tenure, said the government’s intention to declare a state of emergency was “putting politics before principles, ethics and national interest”.

With no specific reference to anyone, she said in spite of VIPs violating the rules and politics triggering a spike in infections in Sabah, the Health Ministry and frontliners must be acknowledged and congratulated for managing the pandemic.

“Already the economic and socio-economic impact on the people and nation is continuing to drain us all of our resilience and confidence.

“But to declare an emergency, impacting Parliament, the democratic processes and dispensing with democratic norms — that is too much, ” she said in a Facebook post Saturday (Oct 24).

“It is time to work out the necessary plans to mitigate the various impacts of the pandemic, bringing together all stakeholders, ” she said. - Star