Khairy Jamaluddin should explain why Malaysia has got the worst Covid-19 death figures as well as the worst Brought-in-Dead (BID) Covid-19 death figures yesterday since he was sworn in as the new Health Minister 24 days ago on August 30?
Yesterday, Malaysia reported 487 Covid-19 deaths including 161 Brought-in-Dead (BID) Covid-19 deaths, the highest-ever registered for both categories which Khairy was sworn in the new Health Minister – bringing the total death toll from Covid-19 to 24,565 deaths, including 4,809 BID Covid-19 deaths.
From seeing light at the end of the tunnel with Khairy’s appointment as the new Health Minister, the light appears to have disappeared as had been experience numerous times in Malaysia in the past one year in the war against the Covid-19 pandemic.
Even without taking into account the worst number of Covid-19 deaths and BID Covid-19 deaths yesterday, Malaysia already tops the world as the No. 1 country in the category “Death in the last seven days per 1 million population”.
Malaysia’s score is 76, which overshadows the 20 countries which have more cumulative total of Covid-19 cases than Malaysia, as illustrated below:
1. USA – 34
2. India – 2
3. Brazil – 17
4. UK – 15
5. Russia – 38
6. France – 8
7. Turkey – 20
8. Iran – 32
9. Argentina – 17
10. Colombia – 5
11. Spain – 9
12. Italy – 6
13. Indonesia – 5
14. Germany – 5
15. Mexico – 29
16. Poland – 2
17. South Africa – 18
18. Philippines – 14
19. Ukraine – 14
20. Peru – 7
21. Malaysia – 76
Apart from mini-states and island nations, Malaysia is indisputably top of the world in daily Covid-19 deaths per million – a dubious distinction which Malaysians do not want.
Malaysia is losing out badly to Indonesia, which has more than eight times’ Malaysia’s population, in the war against Covid-19 pandemic.
For the last three weeks, daily new Covid-19 cases in Indonesia have been below 10,000 cases and in four-digit numbers while in Malaysia, we have not been able to go below 14,000 cases for the past two months and have been in five-digit numbers for over two months.
Yesterday, for instance, Indonesia reported 2,720 new Covid-19 cases while Malaysia reported 14,990 new Covid-19 cases.l
Indonesia has also improved significantly its positivity rate, from 9.3% on 1st September to 3.7% on 13th September.
Malaysia’s positivity rate is very bad. It has been more than 10% since late August and on 17th September it was as high as 14.8%, way above the 5% recommended by WHO.
Khairy cannot continue to avoid this subject.
Have we cleared the backlog of deaths in the public hospitals, and if not, when will the backlog of corpses be cleared?
(Media Statement by DAP MP for Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday, September 23, 2021)
Khairy harus menjelaskan mengapa Malaysia mencatatkan angka kes kematian akibat Covid-19 terburuk dan juga angka kes kematian akibat Covid-19 yang dibawa ke hospital (BID) terburuk semalam sejak beliau mengangkat sumpah sebagai Menteri Kesihatan yang baharu pada 24 hari lalu pada 30 Ogos?
Semalam, Malaysia merekodkan 487 kes kematian akibat Covid-19 termasuk 161 kes kematian akibat Covid-19 yang dibawa ke hospital (BID), jumlah tertinggi yang pernah direkodkan untuk kedua-dua kategori sejak Khairy mengalas tanggungjawab sebagai Menteri Kesihatan — menjadikan jumlah terkumpul kes kematian akibat Covid-19 sebanyak 24,565, dan 4,809 daripadanya adalah kes BID.
Harapan untuk melihat Khairy menguruskan penularan wabak Covid-19 di negara ini dengan baik kian pudar, seperti yang berlaku sebelum ini.
Meskipun tidak mengambil kira jumlah kematian akibat Covid-19 dan BID yang terburuk semalam, Malaysia masih diletakkan sebagai negara nombor satu di dunia untuk kategori “kematian per sejuta penduduk sepanjang tujuh hari lalu”.
Malaysia mencatatkan markah sebanyak 76, menewaskan 20 negara lain yang mempunyai jumlah keseluruhan kes Covid-19 yang lebih tinggi berbanding Malaysia, seperti yang ditunjukkan dalam carta di bawah:
1. USA – 34
2. India – 2
3. Brazil – 17
4. UK – 15
5. Rusia – 38
6. Perancis – 8
7. Turki – 20
8. Iran – 32
9. Argentina – 17
10. Colombia – 5
11. Sepanyol – 9
12. Itali – 6
13. Indonesia – 5
14. Jerman – 5
15. Mexico – 29
16. Poland – 2
17. Afrika Selatan – 18
18. Filipina – 14
19. Ukraine – 14
20. Peru – 7
21. Malaysia – 76
Selain negara-negara kecil dan negara-negara pulau, tidak dapat disangkal lagi bahawa Malaysia berada di kedudukan teratas untuk kes kematian akibat Covid-19 per sejuta penduduk — suatu pencapaian yang tidak dimahukan oleh rakyat Malaysia.
Malaysia tewas teruk kepada Indonesia — yang mempunyai jumlah penduduk lapan kali ganda berbanding jumlah penduduk di Malaysia — dalam perang melawan wabak Covid-19.
Sepanjang tiga minggu lalu, kes harian baharu Covid-19 di Indonesia telah menurun ke bawah paras 10,000 kes dan dalam lingkungan julat empat angka sementara Malaysia; kes tidak pernah turun di bawah paras 14,000 selama dua bulan dan mencatatkan kes lima angka selama lebih dua bulan.
Sebagai contoh, semalam, Indonesia melaporkan 2,720 kes baharu Covid-19 sementara Malaysia melaporkan 14,990 kes.
Indonesia juga telah menunjukkan penurunan kadar positif jangkitan, dari 9.3% pada 1 September kepada 3.7% pada 13 September.
Kadar positif Malaysia pula sangat buruk. Sejak hujung Ogos, kadar positif jangkitan berada pada paras lebih 10% dan pada 17 Oktober, kadar tersebut meningkat setinggi 14.8%, jauh lebih tinggi dari kadar 5% yang disarankan Pertubuhan Kesihatan Sedunia (WHO).
Khairy tidak boleh lagi mengelak untuk menjelaskan mengenai perkara ini.
Sudahkah kita menyelesaikan masalah tunggakan (backlog) dalam pengurusan mayat di hospital awam, dan jika tidak, bilakah ia akan diselesaikan?
(Kenyataan Media oleh Ahli Parlimen DAP Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang di Kuala Lumpur pada hari Khamis, 23 September, 2021:)