Covid-19 woes due to PH govt’s failure – MP
KUCHING: The current shortage of medical supplies and healthcare preparedness in many locations around the country is due to the previous Pakatan Harapan (PH) government’s failure in recognising the danger of the Covid-19 pandemic, claimed Bintulu MP Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing.
He said PH had failed to initiate swi early response and preventive measures against Covid-19, including placing limits on crowds and gatherings.
“In fact, up until Feb 13, former deputy health minister Dr Lee Boon Chye said that it was not necessary at the time to ban large-scale gatherings as there were no cases of infection.
“He even proclaimed that the Covid-19 was low-risk. Has Lanang MP Alice Lau forgotten this statement?” Tiong said in a statement yesterday.
He was responding to Lau’s recent statement where she had questioned why Tiong continued to blame PH over the country’s Covid19 woes.
Lau had claimed that PH was doing well in fighting the global pandemic until Perikatan Nasional took over the federal government.
Tiong, who is also Progressive Democratic Party president, said Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah had in a Facebook posting said the previous administration had missed the opportunity to prepare for the worst-case scenario of Covid-19.
“If the PH government had paid proper attention to the warnings and prepared resources in advance to prevent the pandemic, there would be sufficient supplies for front-liners today.
“Now, the current government is forced to waste much valuable resources and time to hunt for extra face masks and personal protective equipment (PPE),” he said, adding that these items can be stored indefinitely and ready for any emergency much like what the country is facing now.
Tiong also said the PH government should have taken the precautionary step in making people aware of the pandemic’s potential, and instituted measures earlier to prevent it from spreading.
“It is this lack of forwardthinking that resulted in our outbreak. We are faced with shortage of medical supplies and forced to depend on foreign assistance,” he added.
He said there are many medical professionals in PH whose reputation and qualification have been ‘loudly touted’ and suggested that they lend their strengths and abilities to medical professionals in ba ling the pandemic together on the frontline.
With Malaysians all affected by Covid-19 one way or another, Tiong said he will serve as the voice of the people to communicate with relevant authorities to launch more comprehensive and effective pandemic prevention exercises through various channels.
“I hope that Malaysia’s pandemic will be under control very soon and everyone’s lives can return to normal,” he said.