Casualties of the invisible war against Covid-19 in Malaysia – parliamentary democracy, integrity, justice, national trust and solidarity


Mangsa-mangsa peperangan melawan Covid-19 di Malaysia — demokrasi berparlimen, integriti, keadilan, keyakinan dan solidariti kebangsaan

Mangsa-mangsa peperangan melawan Covid-19 di Malaysia — demokrasi berparlimen, integriti, keadilan, keyakinan dan solidariti kebangsaan.

Semalam, telah saya katakan, jika tidak kerana berlakunya Langkah Sheraton dan pergolakan politik yang tercetus daripadanya, Malaysia mungkin tidak akan menghadapi gelombang kedua wabak Covid-19 dalam negara kita. Ia telah mengorbankan 113 nyawa dan mencatatkan hampir 7,000 kes positif dalam negara serta kesan buruk terhadap kehidupan 32 juta rakyat Malaysia akibat pelaksanaan perintah kawalan pergerakan (PKP) dan PKPB.

Pada hari yang sama, terdapat satu artikel di media elektronik yang bertajuk: “Bagaimana PN kongsi ghanimah”.

Sepatutnya ada satu lagi artikel yang bertajuk “Mangsa peperangan melawan Covid-19 di Malaysia — demokrasi berparlimen, integriti, keadilan, keyakinan dan solidari kebangsaan”.

Wabak Covid-19 ini adalah satu fenomena antarabangsa dan saya sentiasa menyeru Malaysia supaya belajar daripada kejayaan dan kegagalan negara-negara lain agar kita dapat membangunkan satu amalan terbaik yang bersesuaian dengan negara kita dan bukannya melakukan perkara-perkara buruk semasa wabak ini menular dalam negara.

Sebagai contoh, semasa PKP mula dilaksanakan pada 18 Mac, negara kita berada di tangga ke-18 dari segi jumlah kes positif dicatatkan — dengan 790 kes positif. Sedangkan Amerika Syarikat pula berada di tempat keenam dengan 9,269 kes dan Rusia pula mempunyai jauh lebih sedikit kes positif berbanding Malaysia di tempat ke-48 dengan 147 kes.

Tetapi hari ini, Malaysia berada di tangga ke-56 dengan 7,009 kes (peningkatan 8.9 kali ganda dalam tempoh dua bulan), sedangkan Amerika Syarikat pula merupakan negara dengan jumlah kes tertinggi, sejumlah 1,591,252 kes (peningkatan 17.7 kali ganda) manakala Rusia pula berada di tempat kedua dengan 308,705 kes (peningkatan 2,100 kali ganda).

Perkara yang sama juga dapat diperhatikan di Brazil dan United Kingdom, yang kini merupakan negara ketiga dan kelima dari segi jumlah kes terkumpul, masing-masing mencatatkan 291,579 dan 248,818 kes.

Pada 18 Mac, Brazil mempunyai lebih sedikit kes berbanding dengan negara kita, hanya 529 kes (peningkatan 551 kali ganda dalam tempoh dua bulan). Manakala UK pula berada dalam kalangan 10 negara dengan jumlah kes tertinggi dengan 2,626 kes (peningkatan 94.8 kali ganda).

Hakikatnya, dalam tempoh dua bulan lepas, jumlah kes Covid-19 yang disahkan di Malaysia hanya meningkat 8.9 kali ganda, sedangkan jumlah kes di Amerika Syarikat, Rusia, Brazil, dan United Kingdom meningkat sebanyak 171.2; 2,100; 551; dan 94.8 kali ganda, menunjukkan terdapat sesuatu yang tidak betul berkenaan polisi kesihatan awam dalam melawan wabak Covid-19 di negara-negara tersebut.

Malaysia sepatutnya dapat mengelak daripada berlakunya gelombang kedua wabak ini yang menyebabkan jumlah kes positif meningkat daripada 22 kes dan satu kematian dalam tempoh 16 ke 22 Februari kepada 7,009 kes dan 114 kematian setakat 19 Mei, jika kita tidak berhadapan dengan Langkah Sheraton dan pergolakan politik yang menyusul.

Namun, syukur di atas pengorbanan para petugas barisan hadapan yang merisikokan nyawa dan keselamatan diri mereka dalam memerangi wabak ini, kita kini berjaya mengawal penularan gelombang kedua ini. Sedangkan di Amerika Syarikat, Rusia, Brazil, dan United Kingdom, mereka masih lagi menunggu kemuncak gelombang pertama wabak ini, ataupun sedang rancak berdebat sama ada kemuncak ini sudahpun berlalu di negara mereka.

Terdapat mereka yang tidak mahu mengetahui apa yang berlaku di negara lain. Tetapi kita sebagai sebuah negara dengan keterbukaan ekonominya perlu mengambil pengajaran dalam memastikan kebolehhidupan dan kesejahteraan Malaysia.

Amat menyedihkan dan tragis apabila Malaysia sedang bertungkus-lumus melawan wabak ini, terdapat pemimpin politik dalam negara kita yang sibuk membahagikan “rampasan perang” daripada Langkah Sheraton, tanpa mempedulikan “kecederaan” negara akibat peperangan melawan wabak Covid-19 ini. Ini termasuklah kerosakan terhadap; demokrasi berparlimen, integriti, keadilan, keyakinan dan solidariti kebangsaan.

Rakyat Malaysia, tanpa mengira kaum, agama, kawasan, mahupun fahaman politik, terseksa apabila Parlimen dikunci dan kuasanya ‘diikat’ dalam menyemak imbang serta meneliti tindak-tanduk kerajaan. Hal ini penting terutama sekali dalam menghalang berlakunya penyalah-gunaan kuasa, rasuah yang berleluasa, kembalinya kleptokrasi, mahupun pencabulan asasi manusia.

Dewan Undangan Negeri Perlis semalam telah mengadakan persidangan penuh Dewan, manakala Dewan Undangan Negeri Sabah pula telah bersidang selama tiga hari. Dewan Undangan Negeri Selangor dan Pulau Pinang juga telah mengadakan persidangan penuh.

Apakah sebabnya Perdana Menteri memendekkan sidang Parlimen pada hari Isnin yang menyebabkan ahli-ahli Parlimen hadir sekadar untuk mendengar Titah Diraja? Mesyuarat pada hari itu ditangguh dalam tempoh masa kurang daripada satu jam, sedangkan DUN di negeri Perlis, Sabah, Pulau Pinang, dan Selangor boleh bersidang?

Semalam, seorang lagi ahli Parlimen Perikatan Nasional telah dilantik sebagai pengerusi GLC, selari dengan pengumuman Menteri Hal Ehwal Parlimen Takiyuddin Hassan, bahawa semua ahli Parlimen Kerajaan yang tidak mempunyai kedudukan sebagai anggota pentadbiran akan dilantik untuk mengetuai syarikat berkaitan kerajaan (GLC).

Ini adalah satu lagi contoh di mana pengagihan “rampasan perang” daripada Langkah Sheraton telah menjadi keutamaan kerajaan berbanding dengan “kecederaan yang dialami negara dalam peperangan melawan Covid-19”!

Bilakah semua ini akan berakhir? Situasi yang berlaku ini hanya menyuburkan penyalah-gunaan kuasa, rasuah yang berleluasa, kembalinya kleptokrasi, dan pencabulan hak asasi manusia!

Kerajaan Perikatan Nasional telah merendahkan kepentingan menangani “kecederaan” yang dialami negara kita dalam peperangan melawan Covid-19 dan memilih untuk mengutamakan pengagihan “rampasan perang” daripada Langkah Sheraton. Ini menunjukkan kerajaan masih tidak mempunyai sebarang rancangan keluar bagi negara kita yang sepatunya melibatkan “keseluruhan masyarakat” bagi dibentangkan kepada Parlimen pada Isnin lepas.

Perkara ini juga merupakan sebab berlakunya tawaran rayuan yang mengejutkan dalam kes Riza Abdul Aziz yang dilepaskan tanpa dibebaskan di atas tuduhan pengubahan wang haram — yang melibatkan sejumlah ASD 248 juta (RM1.08 bilion) yang berkaitan dengan dana 1MDB — dengan pengembalian sejumlah ASD107.3 juta (RM645.3 juta) sebagai ganti.

PN harus mengumumkan pendiriannya mengenai skandal 1MDB — sama ada ia menyokong pendirian Pakatan Harapan yang skandal ini adalah skandal kewangan terbesar dalam sejarah negara, yang telah membawa kepada pemecatan Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin daripada jawatan Timbalan Perdana Menteri, ataupun PN bersetuju dengan pendirian kerajaan Barisan Nasional sebelum PRU14? Mungkinkah PN menganggap segala perbincangan mengenai skandal 1MDB ini sebagai penipuan sehingga para ahli Parlimen dihalang daripada membahaskannya?

(Kenyataan Media Ahli Parlimen DAP Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang pada hari Khamis 21 Mei 2020)

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Yesterday, I said that if not for the Sheraton Move and the ensuing political turmoil, Malaysia would not have suffered the second wave of Covid-19 outbreak and Malaysia would have been spared the movement control order (MCO) and CMCO with their devastating effect on the loss of 113 lives and some 7,000 Covid-19 cases, as well as the livelihood of 32 million Malaysians.

On the same day, there was an article in the electronic media entitled: “Spoils of War: Sharing the loot, PN-style”.

There should be an article on “Casualties of the invisible war against Covid-19 in Malaysia – parliamentary democracy, integrity, justice, national trust and solidarity”.

The Covid-19 pandemic is a global phenomenon, and I have always advocated that Malaysia must learn from the successes and mistakes of other nations so that we can develop one of the best practices instead of pursuing the worst practices in the pandemic.

For instance, when MCO was imposed in Malaysia on March 18, Malaysia was the top 18th country in the world in terms of total number of Covid-19 confirmed cases – with 790 cases. United States was No.6 with 9,269 cases while Russia had even less cases than Malaysia and was positioned No. 48 with 147 cases.

But today, Malaysia is No. 56 with 7009 cases (an increase of 8.9 times in the past two months) while the United States is the world’s No. 1 with 1,591,252 cases (an increase of 171.7 times) while Russia is the world’s No. 2 with 308,705 cases (an increase of 2,100 times).

This also applies to Brazil and United Kingdom, now the world’s top No. 3 and No. 5 countries in terms of Covid-19 confirmed cases, with respectively 291,579 cases and 248,818 cases.

On March 18, Brazil had less cases than Malaysia, with only 529 cases (there was an increase of 551 times in the last two months) while UK was the world top 10th country with 2,626 cases (an increase of 94.8 times).

The fact that in the last two months, Malaysia’s Covid-19 confirmed cases increased by 8.9 times, while the United States, Russia, Brazil and United Kingdom underwent exponential increases of 171.7; 2,100; 551 and 94.8 times respectively show that something is very wrong with the public health policies in these four countries in the invisible war against the pandemic.

Malaysia should have avoided the second wave of the Covid-19 outbreak which multiplied from 22 Covid-19 cases and one death during the Feb. 16 – 26 period to the present 7,009 cases and 114 deaths on May 19 if not for the Sheraton Move and the ensuing political turmoil.

But thanks to the frontliners who risked their lives and personal safety in the invisible war against Covid-19, Malaysia has now brought the second wave of Covid-19 outbreak under control – while in the United States, Russia, Brazil and the United Kingdom, either the peak of the of the first wave of Covid-19 pandemic has not yet been reached or there is debate whether the peak has been reached.

There are those who do not want to know what is happening in other countries, but these are not people we can be trust about Malaysia’s survival and prosperity as an open economy.

It is sad and tragic that while Malaysia, like the rest of the world, is fighting an invisible war against the Covid-19 pandemic, there are political leaders who are only preoccupied with the “spoils of war” in the Sheraton Move, utterly heedless about the “casualties” in the invisible war against the Covid-19 pandemic, viz: parliamentary democracy, integrity, justice, national trust and solidarity.

Malaysians, regardless of race, religion, region or politics, suffer when there is a parliamentary lockdown and suspension of Parliament’s constitutional role of oversight and scrutiny of government actions, in particular to prevent a return of abuses of power, rampant corruption, revival of kleptocracy or widespread violation of human rights.

The Perlis State Assembly yesterday held a full session – so did the Sabah State Assembly which met for three days as well as the Penang and Selangor State Assemblies.

Can the Prime Minister explain the reason for the truncated Parliamentary meeting on Monday allowing Members of Parliament to hear only the Royal Address, with the whole meeting adjourned in less than an hour, when the State Assemblies in Perlis, Sabah, Penang and Selangor could meet?

Yesterday, another Perikatan Nasional MP was appointed as Chairman of a GLC, in keeping with the announcement by the Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Takiyuddin Hassan, that all government MPs who do not presently hold positions in government will be made heads of government-linked companies (GLCs).

This was anotherinstance of the “spoils of war in the Sheraton Move” taking priority over the “casualties of the invisible war against the Covid-19 pandemic”!

When will it end? This will be fertile ground for the return of abuses of power, rampant corruption, the revival of kleptocracy and widespread violation of human rights!

The Perikatan Nasional (PN) government has completely subordinated the “casualties” in the invisible war against Covid-19 to the “spoils of war” from the Sheraton Move, which is why the government has no “all-of-society” exit plan strategy and blueprint in the pandemic to present to Parliament on Monday.

This is also the reason for the shocking plea bargain involving Riza Abdul Aziz who was given a discharge not amounting to an acquittal (DNAA) for money laundering involving US$248 million (RM1.08 billion) linked to 1MDB funds in exchange for his returning an estimated US$107.3 million (RM465.3 million).

The PN must declare its stand on the 1MDB scandal – whether it endorses the Pakatan Harapan stand that it is the biggest financial scandal in the nation’s history, which resulted in the sacking of Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin as Deputy Prime Minister, or whether it has reverted to the stance of the previous Barisan Nasional government before the 14th General Election on May 9, 2018, regarding all talk of 1MDB scandal as lies and distortions where even MPs were banned from debating the issue in Parliament.

(Media Statement by DAP MP for Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Sianjg on Thursday, 21st May 2020)

  1. #1 by Jeffrey on Thursday, 21 May 2020 - 1:06 pm

    There’s no evidence (besides speculation) that the second wave (reportedly started on Feb 27) was caused by Sheraton Move. Our MOH’s DG attributed the second wave to a COVID-19 clusters to Patient 2626, a senior officer at Khazanah/UDA, later a member of Felcra and also the Tablighi gathering rather than Sheraton and ensuing ‘political turmoil’ no less caused by the vacillations of PH top leadership regarding who should lead. We still have many foreign workers yet untested and hiding within woodwork in fear of arrest and deportation for 3rd and 4th waves! Much depends on MOH’s handling of the crisis which according to Health DG, he’s neither concerned with policies nor politics. And you have said he’s a better health minister than the present one.

  2. #2 by Bigjoe on Friday, 22 May 2020 - 8:26 am

    Parliament, democracy, integrity etc etc all casualties that pivotally began in Mahathir’s time, Najib was a second wave and and third wave under Muhiyiddin-Azmin not only expected but fact is we are underestimating a fourth under UMNO-PAS

    There is a delusion between PKR-Amanah and Sarawak-Sabahan that UMNO – PAS corrupt theocracy is avoidable or mitigated. Fact they will not talk about it, avoid the talk as much as possible tells you they know the real risk. They are willing to trade it in for immediate power and rewards.

    Face it, even PH will not talk of real risk that UMNO-PAS-Bersatu will win more seats against PKR-Amanah in an election and Bersatu will still do it even if they are only a small party.

    Anwar, PKR-Amanah and even DAP is just hoping Bersatu-UMNO-PAS gets into a fight especially Muhiyiddin-Azmin who both want to stay or be PM.

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