MOH's indecisiveness, poor implementation won't save M'sia from Covid-19

 

MP SPEAKS | Non-existent decisiveness and poor decision-making in the Ministry of Health and Health Department has resulted in Peninsular Malaysia, with its advantage in resources, falling behind Sarawak in containing the outbreaks of Covid-19.

In Sarawak, the State Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) had quickly stemmed the spread of the 37 confirmed cases in the Pasai Siong cluster, into the larger community. However, currently, some quarters have begun to take to social media to claim all credit for halting the outbreaks in order to take advantage of the political mileage.

After the test results were released at about 10pm Friday night and the confirmed cases were identified, the state and local governments led by Dr Annuar Rapaee, assistant minister for Public Health and Housing was instructed by the SDMC to urgently arrange for police to block major roads.

The relevant authorities yesterday morning quickly and decisively implemented a widespread blockade to limit eight longhouses residents' movements in the affected areas, while the State Welfare Department was on the ground to provide food relief. Not forgetting the frontline personnel that had been diligent in carrying out their tasks.

This is contrasted with the head of the federal Health Department who is still fixated on grooming his online hero persona, the SDMC and frontliners here have been the ones who are actually combatting the pandemic, and the people noticed this.

Take the Mador cluster, for example. As soon as the SDMC discovered this cluster, it had immediately closed off Maradong district and stopped people from entering or exiting Bintangor.

Generally speaking, the people are extremely worried and dismayed by the constant bad news in the past few days with regard to the rapid rise in confirmed cases and have lost confidence in the government's policies to fight the pandemic.

The MOH and Health Department give an impression of being directionless in preventing more outbreaks, with no coherent strategy or specific policies. In Malaysia's population of 33 million, the number of infections is reaching new highs almost daily. The people definitely cannot help but feel doubt against the MOH and Health Department.

We need to remind the federal Health Department not to be so enamoured by the adoration of the public and be blinded to the other responsibilities of the office. Instead of repeatedly blaming the rising confirmed cases on having more testing and positive diagnoses, fixing the loopholes and gaps in the system to prevent more cases should be made the priority. We must treat the root causes and not focus only on the symptoms.

Case in point, several hospitals are still reporting problems of insufficient medical resources, including personal protective equipment needed by their frontliners. The pandemic has raged for close to a year, and it took self-reliance by the state government and civil organisations in Sarawak to look for ways to raise funds for these related medical resources, instead of waiting for the federal government.

Does the federal Health Department want to wait until it is too late to provide these necessities?

Only well-planned decision-making can be an effective counter to the pandemic. If Peninsular Malaysia had been decisive from the start of the first cases, it would not have gone out of control today.

Regrettably, the local pandemic has once again reached a dangerous level. But while Rome burns, the federal Health Department is still playing the fiddle. Even as new cases rage, its head is still shamelessly and infuriatingly trying to score points on the internet.

In any case, I am grateful to the SDMC for its continuous vigilance and decisiveness in putting the people first as the chief body in charge of stopping more outbreaks. They have become the first line of defence for Sarawakians against the pandemic.

The Sarawak government must continue to exercise its autonomy in preventing more cases. It does not need to fully adhere to the federal government's policies in this matter. It only needs to firmly implement decisiveness methods and measures with speed to protect Sarawakians. I also call on Sarawakians to cooperate in helping the government with contact tracing.

At the same time, we can only hope that the Health Department and MOH can treat the pandemic with greater urgency. For all their PR exercises, their actions are not helping to flatten the curve of cases in the country. More and more people are herded to the crowded quarantines centres, and the consequences are getting worse.

---

TIONG KING SING is Bintulu member of Parliament and Progressive Democratic Party president. - Mkini

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of MMKtT.