Malaysia is the only country in the world to jump 50 ranks in less than eight months, i.e. from No. 85 on Nov. 18 to No. 35 at the end of this month among countries with most cumulative total of Covid-19 cases – a shocking measure of the failure of the Malaysian war against Covid-19 pandemic.
At one time, Malaysia was some 50 positions behind China, the country where the pandemic first started and which had 40 times the population of Malaysia. By the end of this month, Malaysia is likely to be 65 positions ahead of China.
I am shocked and find it unbelievable that there are still political and intellectual leaders who regard Malaysia as a success in the handling of the war against the Covid-19 pandemic.
As a result, there is no sense of urgency to deal with the devastation of the Covid-19 pandemic to the lives, economy and society in Malaysia although we are close to three-quarter of a million Covid-19 cases and would exceed 5,000 fatalities by the end of the month.
January 8, 2021 was described as the “darkest day” for Malaysia in the Covid-19 pandemic, when Malaysia registered 2,643 new cases and 16 fatalities – the highest daily fatalities so far as the previous highest toll was 12 deaths on Nov. 3, 2020.
Instead of finding out what had gone wrong in its war against the Covid-19 epidemic and introduce an “all-of-government” and “whole-of society” strategy and approach in the war against the Covid-19 pandemic, the government proclaimed an emergency and suspended Parliament and the State Assemblies – most foolish acts which saw Malaysia going through many “darkest days” and falling nearly 40 places from the 72nd rank among nations with the most cumulative total of Covid-19 cases.
Yesterday, after a five-month emergency and two “total lockups”, Malaysia had 5,308 cases and 81 deaths from Covid-19, to reach cumulative total of 728,462 cases and 4,884 deaths as compared to 2,232 cases and four deaths when emergency was proclaimed on January 11 to secure a cumulative total of 138,224 Covid-19 cases and 555 Covid-19 deaths.
When it was first revealed that the “hybrid Parliament special committee” comprising among others the Dewan Rakyat Speaker Azhar Azizan Harun and Senate President Rais Yatim would meet on July 5, the questions in many minds is why so late and why the two leading Parliamentary officers were utterly without a sense of urgency!
Then there was the report that the Yang di Pertuan Agong has requested an audience with Dewan Rakyat Speaker and the Dewan Negara President Rais Yatim next Tueday probably about the opening of Parliament.
The Cabinet meeting next Wednesday (30th June) is the last opportunity for Malaysia to avoid a full-blown constitutional crisis, by observing both the spirit and letter of the Malaysian Constitution as well as fulfilling the two conclusions of the Conference of Rulers special meeting on June 16, viz: that Parliament and the State Assemblies convene “as soon as possible” and that there is no need to extend the emergency beyond August 1, 2021.
Let not the bloated Muhyiddin Cabinet demonstrate that it could not pass a simple intelligence test as to the meaning of “as soon as possible” – when even primary school students would know that it means that Parliament should meet before August 1, 2021 and not an indefinite future spread to September, October or even later.
By the time of the Cabinet meeting next Wednesday, it is still possible to convene Parliament with the requisite 28-notice before August 1, 2021.
The Muhyiddin Cabinet must bear full responsibility for the constitutional crisis it could avoid if it acts timely on Wednesday.
There must be a new start to the war against Covid-19 pandemic where all political and other differences are temporarily put aside so that the country can win the war against the coronavirus to save lives, livelihoods and the country’s economic future.
I have called for a one or two years of political moratorium and a “Win the War Against Covid-19 Pandemic” (WACOP) coalition to save the country from the devastation in lives, economic losses and societal damages of the pandemic.
We must find the political will and ingenuity to remove all factors which undermine the national objective to reverse the tides of defeat and win the war against the Covid-19 pandemic.
(Media Statement by DAP MP for Iskandar Puteri in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday, June 27, 2021)