DAP is willing to put aside political differences and support the proposal by the National Recovery Council (NRC) to speedily reopen the country’s borders by 1 March in the interests of the national economy and align with current international health protocols practiced in many foreign countries. Normalisation of social interaction and resumption of business engagement will help to revive the economy and facilitate job opportunities especially in the tourism sector.
This would also mark the new phase of COVID-19 pandemic gradually becoming endemic and a recognition that we have to live together with COVID-19. With COVID-19 gradually becoming endemic, there is no reason for any delay in reopening borders when many neighbouring countries are doing so despite the rise in infections.
Any delay will only harm our economy when the government has been proven to be ineffective in battling COVID-19. The government must recognise that it has failed repeatedly to manage COVID-19 with the latest COVID-19 record wave of infections that fortunately has low numbers of severe cases Category 3-5 of less than 200 daily cases.
As at 18 February, the 27,808 new daily Covid-19 cases and 36 new deaths brings the total cumulative cases to 3,166,023 and a total of 32,276 deaths. Malaysia has the highest number of deaths per capita in the Asean and East Asian regions with 972 deaths per one million population. The government should put more resources into beefing up the COVID-19 ICU capacity in the event that rising infections require higher hospitalisation rates.
Ismail Sabri Fails To Lead By Example
The glaring incompetence in governance sadly underlines the continuous failure in managing the COVID-19 pandemic by successive BN and PN administrations. These serial failures comprise SOP U-turns, policy flip-flops, double-standards in both enforcement and compliance between VIPs and the rakyat as well as leaders not committed to their duties.
Not only Defence Minister Hishammuddin Hussein, incumbent Johor Menteri Besar Hasni Mohammad and MIC president S Vigneswaran were caught mingling closely with a crowd of politicians at a MIC event in Johor in flagrant violation of COVID-19 SOPs. Prime Minister Ismail Sabri followed suit when he committed a similar breach of the SOPs when he attended a government function in Iskandar Puteri, Johor Baru on 19.2.2022.
Ismail Sabri and his Keluarga Malaysia has simply failed to lead by example. As the primary national leaders steering the fight against COVID-19 and entrusted to urge public compliance with managing and announcing Covid SOPs, both Ismail and Hishamuddin have sadly mutated from a lawmaker into a lawbreaker.
Will this matter be swept under the carpet with a piddling RM1,000 fine on Ismail similar to the fine imposed on Hishamuddin? No wonder there is a trust deficit in the government leaders’ personal responsibility and accountability. For this reason, the people believe that they can do a better job than the government in looking after themselves by ensuring their own safety without risking lives and livelihood.
Whilst we must be tough on COVID-19 and tough on the dangers of COVID-19, we must not be dictated to until our lives and livelihood are disrupted by a virus pandemic that is gradually becoming endemic like a common flu. We must accept, adapt and not fear to live together with COVID-19 as many of our neighbouring countries have done.