Sabah forms new Covid-19 committee but still no state health minister

 

Newly minted Sabah chief minister Hajiji Mohd Noor has announced that a Covid-19 Disaster Management Committee will be taking over managing the virus outbreak in the state.

Thus, the Sabah Covid-19 Command Centre that was established by the previous administration will be abolished.

“The new committee will be chaired by the state secretary (Safar Untong).

“Its deputy chair will be the Sabah health director (Dr Christina Rundi), and its members will comprise those from the relevant state and federal agencies,” Hajiji said in a statement today.

Aside from the formation of the new committee, there was no mention of a new state health minister despite Sabah being the epicentre of the current Covid-19 outbreak in Malaysia.

On Tuesday, Hajiji was sworn in along with his three deputy chief ministers who all have additional state cabinet portfolios.

Also sworn in two days ago were new state Finance Minister II and Local Government and Housing Minister Masidi Manjun plus Rural Development Minister Jahid Jahim.

The state health portfolio remains unfilled.

RM10 million in food baskets

Hajiji made the announcement of the committee after chairing his first state cabinet meeting this morning.

He shared that they had also decided to allocate an “immediate” RM50 million to stem the outbreak.

“Of the amount, RM10 million has been allocated for food baskets for residents affected by the targeted enhanced movement control order (MCO) in four districts, Tawau, Lahad Datu, Semporna and Kunak,” he said.

There are presently 888 active Covid-19 cases in Sabah, the highest among all states.

Many new cases and clusters detected in Peninsular Malaysia have also been traced back to those travelling back from Sabah. - Mkini