It is no use denying the “White Flag” phenomenon as is the line adopted by PAS Ministers and leaders with one PAS Mentri Besar dismissing the #BenderaPutih (white flag) campaign as “political propaganda” while other government leaders, like the Minister of Local Government and Housing and the Minister for Women, Family and Community Development saying nice things about the movement while trying to co-opt it.
If the White Flag online campaign is “political propaganda”, it must the first time in Malaysia that such a “political propaganda” does not involve political parties, and should be fully encouraged.
The White Flag movement does not make but highlight a broken government that is incapable of helping the people in dire need as a result of the 18-month long Covid-19 pandemic.
If the Muhyiddin government fails to take quick action to address the deep-seated causes of the “White Flag” phenomenon, Malaysia will soon become a “White Flag” country with a “White Flag” government.
This is because it is not just vulnerable individuals, but vulnerable hawkers, small and medium businesses who will put up their White Flags.
The government’s strategy has failed to bring the Covid-19 pandemic under control and the Economist’s latest “Normalcy Index”, placing Malaysia 50th out of 50 nations, is the latest international indictor that Malaysia has catapulted to be among the world’s worst performing nations in the Covid-19 pandemic as a result of the proclamation of emergency and the suspension of Parliament and the State Assemblies.
The suspension of Parliament and State Assemblies are the very antithesis of an “all-of-government” and “whole-of-society” strategy and approach necessary to win the war against the Covid-19 pandemic.
Malaysia has new war aims in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic – not just to save lives, but also to save livelihoods and protect the national economy and society.
The National Recovery Plan is a plan to eliminate the coronavirus, and not one to live with the coronavirus after transforming itself from a pandemic to endemic.
Full lockdowns are not the answer for they kill not only the coronavirus but kill livelihoods and the national economy.
We should apply targetted lockdowns with different thresholds for the various states, based on the state’s population and size.
There should be not be one threshold for a national lockdown.
Yesterday, for instance, 10 of the 13 states in Malaysia have less than 300 cases, viz:
Johore – 270
Kedah – 250
Sabah – 232
Pahang – 195
Penang – 174
Perak 149
Kelantan – 108
Terengganu – 50
Perlis – 1
There must be more flexible, nimble and even creative responses to the challenges mounted by the war against the Covid-19 pandemic so that we can save lives, livelihoods, the national economy and society.
A Parliamentary Select Committee on Covid-19 Pandemic should constantly monitor the progress of the war against Covid-19 pandemic which is empowered to initiate flexible, nimble and creative responses to the challenges of Covid-19 pandemic.
This is why Parliament must be convened ASAP.
(Media Statement by DAP MP for Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang in Kuala Lumpur on Friday, 2nd July, 2021)
