Suhakam should probe claims of Covid-19 under-reporting made in a viral video, said its PKR Wanita communications director Loh Ker Chean in a statement today.
“It is important that the legitimacy of the video’s revelations are investigated and verified by an independent party such as Suhakam due to the claims made towards the ‘Mahiaddin government’ accusing it of violating human rights and degrading the lives of citizens during Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin’s administration,” said Loh (above) on Facebook.
She was referring to the “Frontliners reveal the truth about the Covid-19 crisis in Klang Valley Hospitals” video by Projek Bangsa Malaysia.
According to Loh, some of the allegations in the video include the manipulation of information released to the public, lack of support and bureaucracy interfering with doctors’ needs to save their patients.
She said the reports also highlight the possible violation of frontliners’ right to receive time to rest and adequate protection from the Covid-19 virus among other things.
The video, produced by Projek Bangsa Malaysia and released on YouTube yesterday, has since amassed nearly 400,000 views. It features audio recordings of frontliners describing the harsh realities of the current health crisis.
Projek Bangsa Malaysia is an initiative by Muslim youth movement Abim and youth group Projek Wawasan Rakyat
The initiative had initially organised a livestream on July 9 for medical frontliners in Klang Valley to anonymously voice their concerns and personal experiences of working on the ground.
Loh claimed that among the issues faced by medical frontliners included medical staff shortages, an inadequate supply of special medication needed to treat Covid-19 patients, lack of oxygen tanks and lack of medical equipment.
“We cannot wait to submit a proposal to be presented in a budget meeting to get more oxygen tanks.
“We need it now! When we end up fundraising on our own, we get told off.
“It’s really demotivating,” said one anonymous frontliner in the video.
Loh said Muhyiddin and his cabinet must take full responsibility for the suffering faced by the rakyat and for the lives lost to the pandemic by undertaking recommendations of the proposed investigation by the Human Rights Commission.
“These allegations only prove the government’s failure in combating the spread of Covid-19 in the last 17 months," she claimed.
Today, the Health Ministry reported 11,079 new Covid-19 cases - the highest ever daily case count - with a total of 855,949 active Covid-19 cases nationwide. - Mkini
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