Today, the Prime Minister’s Office tweeted to inform the public that Prime Minister Dato’ Sri Najib Razak has been infected by E.coli, apparently during his visits to flood-affected areas. As a result, he is currently undergoing treatment and would be taking a short break.
E.Coli is a bacterium that is transmittable by food or water that has been contaminated by feces, and can cause infections. I wish the Prime Minister gets well soon.
However, our concerns right now should be with the victims of the worst flood in recent history. The water may have subsided and those who still have homes may have returned to them, but there is now an urgent need to take steps to prevent an epidemic from breaking out.
If the Prime Minister who is privileged can get infected after visiting the flood areas for a few days, what about the flood victims who have been suffering for weeks in high-risk conditions, with limited access to clean water, medication and almost zero sanitation?
It is almost a certainty that thousands of victims, both adults, children and elderly alike, are currently exposed to contaminated floodwater and have not been eating nutritional food. With their morale and immune system at their worst, they are certainly at risk.
While both the state and federal governments were caught off guard by the massive floods, there is no excuse if we are unable to manage this post-flood situation. Therefore, I urge both the federal and state governments to take charge and come out with a plan that is transparent and inclusive, including on how the Malaysian public can contribute.
A public action plan is urgently needed to prevent this humanitarian disaster from escalating further.