DAP to petition Chief Minister to hold special emergency meeting on rabies
SIBU: DAP Sarawak director of Women’s Affairs Bureau Irene Chang said they will petition Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg to convene a special emergency meeting on the latest development and situation of rabies in the state.
Chang claimed that the measures taken by the State Disaster Management Committee to tackle the deadly disease have been woefully inadequate resulting in the disease to spread to 41 areas in 15 months, since the first rabies case was reported on July 4, 2017.
“This is an average of 2.7 new localities affected every month. This is very serious and we need to tackle the problems fast,” she said at a press conference here yesterday morning.
With her were State DAP vice chairman David Wong who is also Pelawan assemblyman, Lanang MP Alice Lau and Sibu MP Oscar Ling.
Chang, who is also Bukit Assek assemblywoman, said it was not time for finger pointing but still, whatever measures done by the authorities to tackle the rabies were gravely inadequate.
“It is not enough or else the disease would not have spread like this,” she added.
“It is time to engage every sector, all the local community and political leaders to come together to brainstorm on how to tackle this.
“Now is not the time for political division. It’s time for every sector to come together to tackle the disease and for this reason, we have written to the chief minister to petition him to convene the special emergency meeting.”
Chang said Order 8( 3) of the Standing Orders of the DUN Sitting states that when the Dewan has been adjourned, and any matters that are of public interests crop up, then any member of the House can write to the Chief Minister to petition for a special emergency meeting.
“The special emergency meeting can be a platform for all members of the august House to come together, brainstorm and discuss and to have a clearer picture of what measures have been taken so far or what measures have not been taken. We need to know. All the members of the House need to know.
“From there, we can then move forward and debate and discuss on what are the things that need to be done in order to urgently contain the spread of the outbreak.
“There should also be assessments of where we are with regard to the outbreak and also seek resolutions on what further steps are needed and where and how to quickly get hold of all the required resources and support services for the steps to be successfully implemented.”
Chang hoped the chief minister will seriously consider their request and call for the special meeting for members of the House to air their views, saying: “This is the time we need to come and work together.”
Chang said the people needed to be reminded that the outbreak was very serious as once a person catches rabies, there is no cure.
“If you look around, dogs are still everywhere, especially in Bukit Assek area. This gives rise to the question whether the enforcement departments are doing enough or why are the owners still letting out their dogs to roam around.”
She said everyone should play a part and cooperate to fight this deadly disease.