Blog Statement by Lim Kit Siang in Petaling Jaya on Tuesday, 11^th August 2009: 

Liow Tiong Lai, Where are You? Karen Lee who is worried about her five-year-old son about the A (H1N1) flu killer pandemic and has four questions for you

At 5.10 pm, on my blog this morning re: “Large-scale H1N1 awareness campaign welcome but why so belated – after 33 deaths and some 2,000 cases?” , I received this heart-rending post from a mother, Karen Lee from Kota Kemuning, worried about her five-year-old son in the A (H1N1) flu killer pandemic, which has claimed 38 lives since the first death was reported 26 days ago on July 16 and recorded 2,253 cases since the first H1N1 case less than three months ago on May 15, 2009.

Karen wants to ask the Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai four questions about the A (H1N1) flu pandemic and quite desperate for getting an immediate reply as her son’s life is “at stake”.

These four questions are:

1) of the many high risk deaths, other than tamil flu, what other medication/medical measures have been taken?

2) of the many high risk deaths, what are the races, i am not being racist, but i want to know the type of food they usually consume, ie nasi lemak, chilli stuffs, fried stuffs, durians, too much high fibre vegetables etc, do they also take papaya, barley water, herbal concoction, significant doses of Vitamin Cs etc….

3) of the high risk deaths, what are the prevention method they use prior to them falling ill and while they are ill and subsequently after that.

4) of the high risk deaths, how well aware are they of the symptoms and the treatment of the symptoms eg, knowing they are at high risk, do they use steroid inhalers, sabutamol / bronchiodilators, anti histamines???

This is Karen’s post before she posed the four questions:

What house Victim said is correct

'From the Symptoms, the virus will attach “poor” respiratory and digestive systems or those with “internal heat” built up by Hot & Spicy Food or lack of rest. These should be the guidelines NOT only Fever! Promotion should be on KEEPING both systems healthy!'

My son is a chronic bronchitis sufferer and he is only 5. We live in Kota Kemuning where the haze is all year round due to open burning.

Everytime when he got the runny nose and cough, i had to give him steroid inhailer and sabutamol to ease his airways.

Now he is in his third day of coughing and phelmy and wheezing etc…. but he has no fever…… he is on his usual medication and i am monitoring his situation.

Question now… should i go to GH to let him be tested? What if his flu isn’t H1N1 but he get infected by queueing for hours in the hospital?

I wanted to get our usual pediatrician to give him Tamilflu but was informed that the government has all the stock and none others has it…… there aren’t enough to go around. Suppliers of Tamilflu are having a big meeting to discuss this headache…..

Tell me, dear HM (Health Minister) what should i do.

Also, i heard that in Subang, schools like Lick Hung, Chee Wen has H1N1 cases, some up to 15 cases but were not reported….. we are like chasing rumours in the wind.

Please, sir, we should adopt the most conservative measures ie close the all schools for at least a week….. we are taking about many deaths in a day…….. !!!!! Malaccan schools are wise in closing the schools to curb the spread….. students spend so many hours under such hot and hazy condition in schools, naturally their immune system will be weak…. and this will increase the chances of getting H1N1. Already many in Kota Kemuning are coughing but no case has been heard yet…..

Malaysians are very well known for ‘tidak apa’ attitude and the stupid mentality of why need to take medicine when it’s just a light sickness……. so that’s why there are many deaths, they do not know what kind of medicine to give…..

Especially to the children…. you think Tamilflu is ok for children, studies have shown it has a very bad side effect…. please read this

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/news/india/Tamiflu-can-have-bad-side-effects-on-children/articleshow/4879466.cms

This is after 7 pm but I have decided to put this on my blog with an appeal to Health Minister Liow Tiong Lai to immediately furnish answers to Karen.

Liow may or may not read this blog soon after it is uploaded but he should have Health Ministry officers who should be monitoring public concerns on the Internet – and I will send out a tweet to draw the attention of Liow Tiong Lai.

In this era of Internet of 24/7, particularly in a national emergency with the A (H1N1) killer pandemic on a rampage claiming lives with a terrifying lethality and rapidity – 38 lives in 26 days – if Liow or his representatives whether from his professional or political staff could not respond immediately, something is really very wrong and rotten with the system.

This blog offers Liow the immediate facility to reply to Karen and other concerned Malaysians to end their living nightmares about the A (H1N1) pandemic.

*Lim Kit Siang, DAP Parliamentary leader & MP for Ipoh Timor