Everybody’s position on the viral incursion
PETALING JAYA: From politicians to the man in the street, everyone has an opinion on how to deal with the Covid19 outbreak.
One reader of theSun, Samuel Yesuiah, is calling for renewed faith in the Almighty.
While divine intervention may count for a lot for the more religiously devout, others see the challenge in a very practical way.
For instance, DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang wants all ministers to focus on the fight to stem the tide of new infections.
MCA Youth chief Nicole Wong has the less affluent Malaysians in her sights. She wants the government to give away face masks to the elderly and orphans.
Then there are those who like to draw parallels with other disasters to divert attention to the issue at hand.
The business community, despite already reeling from the fallout of the global pandemic, has also offered to help address the crisis but to do that it wants the government to ease some of the restrictions imposed under the movement control order.
In an email to Yesuiah reminded Malaysians that this was the time “to get down on our knees” and seek “God’s divine healing power and mercy”.
“The whole world needs to take stock of their lives during these trying times and know that there is a God,” he added.
Lim wants Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin to make daily “live” broadcasts to inform the people of the latest development in the crisis.
He said two such broadcasts a day, one to be made by midday, would show that the government was on top of things.
“This is not the time to find fault. All Malaysians, regardless of race, religion, region, politics or socio-economic background must unite to overcome the Covid-19 crisis,” he said.
The Malaysian Rubber Glove Manufacturers Association wants the government to allow producers and supporting industries to continue production at full capacity to meet a global demand.
“Malaysia has to supply about 225 billion pieces of this protective medical device to 190 countries and we cannot stop as the Covid-19 virus is spreading rapidly,” it said in a statement.
Another reader of theSun, Lucas Liu said: “We are in uncharted territory, give the government a break.”
He said the Muhyiddin administration had “made missteps” but “so have other governments”.
“Two wrongs don’t make a right, but at least show some empathy instead of occupying the bully pulpit as a
keyboard warrior,” Liu added.