The Malaysian political crisis is moving at a rapid pace while Covid-19 pandemic is worsening with ever grim reports about new Covid-19 cases and deaths.

On Friday evening, the Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin in a live telecast presented a seven-point framework for bipartisan co-operation but within 24 hours there were rife rumours that he will resign when he meets the Yang di Pertuan Agong on Monday as Cabinet members were unaware of the contents of the proposals.

Yesterday, we set another dubious record in the 20-month Covid-19 pandemic – breaking the 11th thousand-deaths mark in four days to record a cumulative total of 12,228 Covid-19 deaths.

We took 13 months on Feb. 17, 2021 to pass the 1,000 Covid-19 deaths when we registered 1,005 deaths; two months to cross the second thousand Covid-19 deaths; half-a-month to pass the third thousand Covid-19 deaths; 12 days to pass the fourth thousand deaths; 13 days to pass the fifth thousand deaths; 12 days to pass the sixth thousand deaths; eight days to pass the seven and eight thousand deaths; five days to pass the ninth, tenth and eleven thousand deaths; and four days to pass the twelve thousand deaths.

From the present rate of infection, we will break the 1.4 million mark for cumulative total of Covid-19 cases today, pass 1.5 million Covid-19 cases before August 21 and pass the 1.7 million mark for Covid-19 cases when we mark our 64th National Day – making it the grimmest National Day in Malaysian history with over 1.7 million cumulative total of Covid-19 cases and over 15,000 Covid-19 deaths.

When we marked our 63rd National Day on August 31, 2020, there was a cumulative total of 9,340 Covid-19 cases and 127 Covid-19 deaths – an humongous increase of 182 times for the number of Covid-19 cases and 118 times the number of Covid-19 deaths in the last 12 months!

We were ranked No. 89 among countries with the most cumulative total of Covid-19 cases on the 63rd National Day, but we have so deteriorated in the mishandling the Covid-19 pandemic, we are likely to ranked No. 25 on the 64th National Day, overtaking Canada and Bangladesh which are currently ranked No. 25 and 26 respectively.

Such grim figures are the result of the worst mishandling of the Covid-19 pandemic and there is no doubt that the Prime Minister must assume responsibility for it and should resign to give way to Anwar Ibrahim as Prime Minister to end the mishandling of the Covid-19 pandemic with its ensuing economic crisis and to save the lives of Malaysians.

However, it would be disastrous if Muhyiddin’s resignation result in a constitutional deadlock or a Prime Minister who will only continue with the kakistocracy of the present government.

Imagine the consequences of a three-month constitutional deadlock for we are looking at the horrific figures of a cumulative total of over three million Covid-19 cases and over 30,000 Covid-19 deaths – which every Malaysian want to avoid.

The Covid-19 Pandemic is Malaysia’s No. 1 Public Enemy.

Malaysians regardless of race, religion, region or politics must consider all possibilities to bring the Covid-19 pandemic under control so that we can end the carnage of the Covid-19 pandemic, reset and start anew to achieve the Malaysian Dream for Malaysia to be a world-class great nation by building on our strengths and capabilities and by upholding the principles of good governance, rule of law, separation of powers, constitutional monarchy based on parliamentary democracy as embedded in the Constitution and Rukun Negara.

Ever since the declaration of Emergency on January 11, 2021 purportedly to combat
Covid-19 pandemic, the public health crisis has deteriorated and the eight months after the emergency have been responsible for over 91 per cent of the Covid-19 cases and over 95 per cent of the Covid-19 deaths in Malaysia.

We just cannot allow the Covid-19 pandemic to continue and deteriorate.

For these reasons, we must be open-minded about discussions to end the multiple Malaysian crisis – Covid-19, economic and political.

But any discussion must be subject to two principles: firstly, there must be an offer which is a game-changer by the Muhyiddin government which can bring the Covid-19 pandemic under control as well as to address the political and economic crisis, and secondly, that it must secure the approval of the DAP and Pakatan Harapan and is in the interest of the country.

For the past months of the Covid-19 pandemic, I have been worrying about the future of Malaysia – how to fulfil the aspiration of Bapa Malaysia Tunku Abdul Rahman for Malaysia to be a “beacon of light in a difficult and distracted world”.

But first of all, Malaysians must themselves be able to see this “beacon of light” in Malaysia?

It is not too late for Malaysians to re-unite to ensure that Malaysia does not become a kleptocracy, kakistocracy or a failed state.

We must save Malaysia so that we can achieve our destiny to be a world-class great nation.

But only Malaysians, regardless of ethnicity, religion, region or politics, can save Malaysia.

(Media Statement by DAP MP for Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday, August 15, 2021)