If not for the Sheraton Move and the ensuing political turmoil, Malaysia would not have suffered the second wave of Covid-19 outbreak and would be spared the MCO and CMCO with their  devastating effect on lives and livelihood in Malaysia

Jika tidak kerana Langkah Sheraton dan krisis politik yang berlaku akibatnya, Malaysia mungkin tidak akan berhadapan dengan gelombang kedua Covid-19 dan tidak perlu melalui PKP dan PKPB dan kesan buruknya terhadap nyawa dan kehidupan

Ketua Pengarah Kesihatan Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah berkata semalam, hampir separuh daripada kes Covid-19 di dalam negara kita boleh dijejaki semula kepada kluster perhimpunan keagamaan di Sri Petaling, Kuala Lumpur yang berlangsung di antara 28 Februari sehingga 1 Mac dengan melibatkan peserta dari seluruh dunia.

Jika tidak kerana Langkah Sheraton dan krisis politik yang berlaku akibatnya seperti yang dikatakan oleh baginda Yang di Pertuan Agong di dalam Titah Ucapan Baginda sempena pembukaan Parlimen pada persidangan sehari Isnin lalu, negara kita mungkin tidak akan berhadapan dengan gelombang kedua Covid-19 dan jumlah kes positif dalam negara mungkin hanya akan mencapai sekadar 3,000 kes ataupun lebih rendah lagi, bukannya hampir mencecah 7,000 kes seperti yang kita lihat hari ini.

Semasa Malaysia melaksanakan PKP pada 18 Mac, kita adalah negara ke-18 dengan jumlah kes tertinggi di dunia dan merupakan negara teratas di Asia Tenggara, pada masa yang sama negara kita adalah ke-33 teratas dengan jumlah kematian akibat Covid-19.

Kini kita telah turun ke kedudukan ke-56 dari segi jumlah kes positif yang direkodkan — malah, jika tidak kerana gelombang kedua ini, kita mungkin berada di atas kedudukan ke-70. Kita sepatutnya berada di belakang Thailand, yang mempunyai dua kali ganda jumlah penduduk. Thailand kini berada di kedudukan ke-70 dengan 3,033 kes dan 56 kematian.

Setakat hari ini, terdapat sebelas negara yang telah melepasi paras 100,000 kes positif Covid-19. Negara-negara ini adalah: (1) Amerika Syarikat – 1,570,144; (2) Rusia – 299,941; (3) Sepanyol – 278,803; (4) Brazil – 271,628; (5) United Kingdom – 248,818; (6) Itali – 226,699; (7) Perancis – 180,809; (8) Jerman 177,827; (9) Turki – 151,615; (10) Iran – 124,603; dan (11) India – 106,475 kes. Peru dengan 99,483 kes adalah negara ke-12 dengan hanya 520 kes lagi sebelum mencecah paras 100,000 kes positif manakala China kini berada di tempat ke-13 dengan 82,960 kes.

Kos Langkah Sheraton dan pergolakan politik yang menyusulinya terbukti sangat tinggi untuk negara kita.

Jika tidak kerana Langkah Sheraton dan pergolakan politik ini, Malaysia tidak akan berhadapan dengan gelombang kedua penularan Covid-19 dan pastinya dapat mengelakkan pelaksanaan PKP dan PKPB yang datang dengan kesan buruk terhadap nyawa dan kehidupan dalam negara.

Kita bernasib baik kerana kita tidak perlu bergantung kepada kepimpinan politik dalam kerajaan — yang hanya memikirkan bagaimana untuk memperkukuhkan kuasanya, termasuklah dengan mengunci Parlimen daripada menjalankan tanggungjawabnya — untuk memimpin dalam peperangan melawan wabak ini.

Saya tidak dapat membayangkan apakah yang akan terjadi sekiranya kita terpaksa bergantung kepada pimpinan politikal dalam negara, apabila kita dapat melihat kepincangan dan penyalah-gunaan kuasa yang telah berlaku, seperti isu “penawar air suam kepada Covid-19”, “15 negeri”, “500 negara”, “Doraemon”, “Menteri”, “Tik Tok”, pertuduhan berat mengenai diskriminasi dalam pengedaran bantuan makanan untuk golongan B40 di kawasan Parlimen pembangkang, dan tawaran rayuan Riza Abdul Aziz.

Rakyat Malaysia telah memberikan penghormatan kepada petugas barisan hadapan yang mempertaruhkan nyawa dan keselamatan diri mereka sendiri untuk mengawal gelombang kedua wabak Covid-19.

Kerajaan seharusnya mengambil kesempatan semasa penyampaian Titah Diraja di Parlimen pada hari Isnin lepas (yang berlangsung dua bulan selepas PKP mula dilaksanakan pada 18 Mac) untuk membentangkan rancangan kerajaan untuk membawa negara kita keluar daripada PKP dan mengawal penularan wabak ini yang melibatkan “keseluruhan kerajaan” dan “keseluruhan masyarakat” untuk memastikan Malaysia berjaya mengawal wabak ini dan mengekang sebarang penularan semula serta melonjakkan semula ekonomi negara.

Adalah menjadi satu pengabaian tanggungjawab yang serius oleh pimpinan politik dalam negara apabila perkara ini tidak dilakukan.

Bilakah kerajaan akan membentangkan rancangannya, memandangkan pakar di seluruh dunia kini mengatakan yang kita mungkin perlu belajar untuk hidup bersama-sama dengan virus ini, memandangkan virus yang berkesan mungkin akan mengambil masa di antara dua ke lima tahun sebelum dapat dicipta dan tersedia dengna meluas?

(Kenyataan Media Ahli Parlimen DAP Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang pada hari Rabu 20 Mei 2020)

=================================

The Health Director-General Dr. Noor Hisham Abdullah, said yesterday that nearly half of the Covid-19 cases in the country could be traced back to the cluster involving a religious gathering in Sri Petaling, Kuala Lumpur which took place between February 28 and March 1 involving participants from all over the world.

If not for the Sheraton Move and the ensuing political turmoil referred to by the Yang di Pertuan Agong in his Royal Address at the one-day Parliament on Monday, Malaysia would not have suffered the second wave of Covid-19 outbreak and our total of Covid-19 confirmed cases would be in the mid-3000s, if  not below 3,000 cases, instead of nearly reaching 7,000 cases today.

When Malaysia imposed the MCO on March 18, we were the top 18th country in the world and  the top country in Southeast Asia in terms of  total number of Covid-19 cases, and the top 33rd country in the world  in terms of Covid-19 deaths.

Now, we have slipped to No.  56th country in terms of total Covid-19 confirmed cases – and in fact, if not for the second wave of the Covid-19 outbreak, we should rank above  No. 70 among countries in terms of Covid-19 confirmed cases.  We should be behind Thailand, which has more than  twice our population. Thailand is presently ranked No. 70, with 3,033 cases and 56 deaths.

At present, there are eleven countries which have surpassed the  100,000 mark  for Covid-19 confirmed cases. They are:  (1)  United States – 1,570,144; (2) Russia – 299,941; (3) Spain – 278,803; (4) Brazil – 271,628; (5) United Kingdom – 248,818; (6) Italy – 226,699; (7) France – 180,809; (8) Germany 177,827; (9) Turkey – 151,615; (10) Iran – 124,603; and (11) India – 106,475 cases. Peru, with 99,483 cases, is the 12th top ranking country and  is less than 520 cases to reach the 100,000 mark while China occupies the 13th position with 82,960 cases.

The cost of the Sheraton Move and the ensuing political turmoil had been a very heavy one for Malaysia.

If not for the Sheraton Move and the ensuring political turmoil, Malaysia would not have suffered the second wave of Covid-19 outbreak and would be  spared the movement control order (MCO) and CMCO with their  devastating effect on lives and livelihood in Malaysia.

It was  fortunate that Malaysia did not have to depend on the political leadership in government to combat the second wave of the  invisible war against Covid-19, as it was more concerned with consolidating its  position in power, including how to lock down Parliament and nullify Parliament of its constitutional roles of oversight and scrutiny of government actions.

I shudder to think of the  disastrous outcomes  that  await the country if it had to depend solely  on the political leadership in government for action and direction, going by the farces,  buffoonery and abuses of powers which it had caused,  like the  “warm water cure for Covid-19”, “15 states”, “500 countries”, “Doraemon”, “Menteri”, “Tik Tok,  serious allegations of discrimination of food aid parcels for needy B40 families in Opposition constituencies and  the rotten Riza Abdul  Aziz plea bargain.

Malaysians have rightly paid tribute to the front-liners who risked  their own lives and personal safety to bring the second wave of Covid-19 outbreak under control.

The government should have taken the opportunity of the Royal Address in Parliament  on Monday (two full months after the first imposition of MCO on March 18) to present the government’s exit plan strategy and blueprint in the invisible war against the Covid-19 pandemic to ensure  an “all-of-government” and “whole-of-society” approach to win the multiple war of containing Covid-19 and prevent a resurgence and to quickly ensure the bounce back of the Malaysian economy.

It is a serious dereliction of duty of the political leadership in  government that  this has not been done.

When will the government present to the public its exit plan strategy and  blueprint as experts are now advising that  the public have to learn to live with the coronavirus, as an effective vaccine may take two to five years to be developed and widely available?

(Media Statement by DAP MP for Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang on Wednesday, May 20, 2020)

                This entry was posted on Wednesday, 20 May 2020, 10:17 am and is filed under
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Casualties of the invisible war against Covid-19 in Malaysia  – parliamentary democracy, integrity,  justice, national trust and solidarity

Mangsa-mangsa peperangan melawan Covid-19 di Malaysia — demokrasi berparlimen, integriti, keadilan, keyakinan dan solidariti kebangsaan

Mangsa-mangsa peperangan melawan Covid-19 di Malaysia — demokrasi berparlimen, integriti, keadilan, keyakinan dan solidariti kebangsaan.

Semalam, telah saya katakan, jika tidak kerana berlakunya Langkah Sheraton dan pergolakan politik yang tercetus daripadanya, Malaysia mungkin tidak akan menghadapi gelombang kedua wabak Covid-19 dalam negara kita. Ia telah mengorbankan 113 nyawa dan mencatatkan hampir 7,000 kes positif dalam negara serta kesan buruk terhadap kehidupan 32 juta rakyat Malaysia akibat pelaksanaan perintah kawalan pergerakan (PKP) dan PKPB.

Pada hari yang sama, terdapat satu artikel di media elektronik yang bertajuk: “Bagaimana PN kongsi ghanimah”.

Sepatutnya ada satu lagi artikel yang bertajuk “Mangsa peperangan melawan Covid-19 di Malaysia — demokrasi berparlimen, integriti, keadilan, keyakinan dan solidari kebangsaan”.

Wabak Covid-19 ini adalah satu fenomena antarabangsa dan saya sentiasa menyeru Malaysia supaya belajar daripada kejayaan dan kegagalan negara-negara lain agar kita dapat membangunkan satu amalan terbaik yang bersesuaian dengan negara kita dan bukannya melakukan perkara-perkara buruk semasa wabak ini menular dalam negara.

Sebagai contoh, semasa PKP mula dilaksanakan pada 18 Mac, negara kita berada di tangga ke-18 dari segi jumlah kes positif dicatatkan — dengan 790 kes positif. Sedangkan Amerika Syarikat pula berada di tempat keenam dengan 9,269 kes dan Rusia pula mempunyai jauh lebih sedikit kes positif berbanding Malaysia di tempat ke-48 dengan 147 kes.

Tetapi hari ini, Malaysia berada di tangga ke-56 dengan 7,009 kes (peningkatan 8.9 kali ganda dalam tempoh dua bulan), sedangkan Amerika Syarikat pula merupakan negara dengan jumlah kes tertinggi, sejumlah 1,591,252 kes (peningkatan 17.7 kali ganda) manakala Rusia pula berada di tempat kedua dengan 308,705 kes (peningkatan 2,100 kali ganda).

Perkara yang sama juga dapat diperhatikan di Brazil dan United Kingdom, yang kini merupakan negara ketiga dan kelima dari segi jumlah kes terkumpul, masing-masing mencatatkan 291,579 dan 248,818 kes.

Pada 18 Mac, Brazil mempunyai lebih sedikit kes berbanding dengan negara kita, hanya 529 kes (peningkatan 551 kali ganda dalam tempoh dua bulan). Manakala UK pula berada dalam kalangan 10 negara dengan jumlah kes tertinggi dengan 2,626 kes (peningkatan 94.8 kali ganda).

Hakikatnya, dalam tempoh dua bulan lepas, jumlah kes Covid-19 yang disahkan di Malaysia hanya meningkat 8.9 kali ganda, sedangkan jumlah kes di Amerika Syarikat, Rusia, Brazil, dan United Kingdom meningkat sebanyak 171.2; 2,100; 551; dan 94.8 kali ganda, menunjukkan terdapat sesuatu yang tidak betul berkenaan polisi kesihatan awam dalam melawan wabak Covid-19 di negara-negara tersebut.

Malaysia sepatutnya dapat mengelak daripada berlakunya gelombang kedua wabak ini yang menyebabkan jumlah kes positif meningkat daripada 22 kes dan satu kematian dalam tempoh 16 ke 22 Februari kepada 7,009 kes dan 114 kematian setakat 19 Mei, jika kita tidak berhadapan dengan Langkah Sheraton dan pergolakan politik yang menyusul.

Namun, syukur di atas pengorbanan para petugas barisan hadapan yang merisikokan nyawa dan keselamatan diri mereka dalam memerangi wabak ini, kita kini berjaya mengawal penularan gelombang kedua ini. Sedangkan di Amerika Syarikat, Rusia, Brazil, dan United Kingdom, mereka masih lagi menunggu kemuncak gelombang pertama wabak ini, ataupun sedang rancak berdebat sama ada kemuncak ini sudahpun berlalu di negara mereka.

Terdapat mereka yang tidak mahu mengetahui apa yang berlaku di negara lain. Tetapi kita sebagai sebuah negara dengan keterbukaan ekonominya perlu mengambil pengajaran dalam memastikan kebolehhidupan dan kesejahteraan Malaysia.

Amat menyedihkan dan tragis apabila Malaysia sedang bertungkus-lumus melawan wabak ini, terdapat pemimpin politik dalam negara kita yang sibuk membahagikan “rampasan perang” daripada Langkah Sheraton, tanpa mempedulikan “kecederaan” negara akibat peperangan melawan wabak Covid-19 ini. Ini termasuklah kerosakan terhadap; demokrasi berparlimen, integriti, keadilan, keyakinan dan solidariti kebangsaan.

Rakyat Malaysia, tanpa mengira kaum, agama, kawasan, mahupun fahaman politik, terseksa apabila Parlimen dikunci dan kuasanya ‘diikat’ dalam menyemak imbang serta meneliti tindak-tanduk kerajaan. Hal ini penting terutama sekali dalam menghalang berlakunya penyalah-gunaan kuasa, rasuah yang berleluasa, kembalinya kleptokrasi, mahupun pencabulan asasi manusia.

Dewan Undangan Negeri Perlis semalam telah mengadakan persidangan penuh Dewan, manakala Dewan Undangan Negeri Sabah pula telah bersidang selama tiga hari. Dewan Undangan Negeri Selangor dan Pulau Pinang juga telah mengadakan persidangan penuh.

Apakah sebabnya Perdana Menteri memendekkan sidang Parlimen pada hari Isnin yang menyebabkan ahli-ahli Parlimen hadir sekadar untuk mendengar Titah Diraja? Mesyuarat pada hari itu ditangguh dalam tempoh masa kurang daripada satu jam, sedangkan DUN di negeri Perlis, Sabah, Pulau Pinang, dan Selangor boleh bersidang?

Semalam, seorang lagi ahli Parlimen Perikatan Nasional telah dilantik sebagai pengerusi GLC, selari dengan pengumuman Menteri Hal Ehwal Parlimen Takiyuddin Hassan, bahawa semua ahli Parlimen Kerajaan yang tidak mempunyai kedudukan sebagai anggota pentadbiran akan dilantik untuk mengetuai syarikat berkaitan kerajaan (GLC).

Ini adalah satu lagi contoh di mana pengagihan “rampasan perang” daripada Langkah Sheraton telah menjadi keutamaan kerajaan berbanding dengan “kecederaan yang dialami negara dalam peperangan melawan Covid-19”!

Bilakah semua ini akan berakhir? Situasi yang berlaku ini hanya menyuburkan penyalah-gunaan kuasa, rasuah yang berleluasa, kembalinya kleptokrasi, dan pencabulan hak asasi manusia!

Kerajaan Perikatan Nasional telah merendahkan kepentingan menangani “kecederaan” yang dialami negara kita dalam peperangan melawan Covid-19 dan memilih untuk mengutamakan pengagihan “rampasan perang” daripada Langkah Sheraton.  Ini menunjukkan kerajaan masih tidak mempunyai sebarang rancangan keluar bagi negara kita yang sepatunya melibatkan “keseluruhan masyarakat” bagi dibentangkan kepada Parlimen pada Isnin lepas.

Perkara ini juga merupakan sebab berlakunya tawaran rayuan yang mengejutkan dalam kes Riza Abdul Aziz yang dilepaskan tanpa dibebaskan di atas tuduhan pengubahan wang haram — yang melibatkan sejumlah ASD 248 juta (RM1.08 bilion) yang berkaitan dengan dana 1MDB — dengan pengembalian sejumlah ASD107.3 juta (RM645.3 juta) sebagai ganti.

PN harus mengumumkan pendiriannya mengenai skandal 1MDB — sama ada ia menyokong pendirian Pakatan Harapan yang skandal ini adalah skandal kewangan terbesar dalam sejarah negara, yang telah membawa kepada pemecatan Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin daripada jawatan Timbalan Perdana Menteri, ataupun PN bersetuju dengan pendirian kerajaan Barisan Nasional sebelum PRU14? Mungkinkah PN menganggap segala perbincangan mengenai skandal 1MDB ini sebagai penipuan sehingga para ahli Parlimen dihalang daripada membahaskannya?

(Kenyataan Media Ahli Parlimen DAP Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang pada hari Khamis 21 Mei 2020)

==================================

Yesterday, I said that if not for the Sheraton Move and the ensuing political turmoil, Malaysia would not have suffered the second wave of Covid-19 outbreak and Malaysia would have been spared the movement control order (MCO) and CMCO with their  devastating effect on the loss of 113 lives and some 7,000 Covid-19  cases, as well as the  livelihood  of 32  million Malaysians.

On the same day, there was an article in the electronic media entitled: “Spoils of War: Sharing the loot, PN-style”.

There should be an article on “Casualties of the invisible war against Covid-19 in Malaysia – parliamentary democracy, integrity,  justice,  national trust and solidarity”.

The Covid-19 pandemic is a global phenomenon, and I have always advocated that Malaysia must learn from the successes and mistakes of other nations so that we can develop one of the best practices instead of pursuing  the worst practices in the pandemic.

For instance, when MCO was imposed in Malaysia on March 18, Malaysia was the top 18th country in the world in terms of total number of Covid-19 confirmed cases – with 790 cases. United States was No.6 with 9,269 cases while Russia had even less cases than Malaysia and  was positioned No. 48 with 147 cases.

But today, Malaysia is No. 56 with 7009 cases (an increase of 8.9 times in the past two months) while the United States is the world’s No. 1 with 1,591,252  cases (an increase of 171.7 times) while Russia is the world’s No. 2 with 308,705  cases (an increase  of 2,100 times).

This also applies to Brazil and United Kingdom, now  the world’s top No. 3 and No. 5 countries in terms of Covid-19 confirmed cases, with respectively  291,579 cases and 248,818 cases.

On March 18, Brazil had less cases than Malaysia, with only 529 cases (there was an increase of 551 times in the last two months) while UK was the world top 10th country with 2,626 cases (an increase of 94.8 times).

The fact that in the last two months, Malaysia’s Covid-19 confirmed cases increased by 8.9 times, while the United States, Russia, Brazil and United Kingdom underwent exponential increases of 171.7; 2,100; 551 and 94.8 times respectively show that something is very wrong with the public health policies in these four countries in the invisible war  against the pandemic.

Malaysia should  have avoided the second wave of the Covid-19 outbreak which multiplied from 22 Covid-19 cases and one death during the Feb. 16 – 26 period  to the present 7,009 cases and 114 deaths on May 19 if not for the Sheraton Move and the ensuing  political turmoil.

But  thanks to the frontliners who risked their lives and personal safety in the invisible war against Covid-19, Malaysia has now  brought the second wave of Covid-19 outbreak under control – while in the United States, Russia, Brazil and the United Kingdom, either the peak of the of the first wave of  Covid-19 pandemic has not yet  been reached or there is debate whether the peak has been reached.

There are those who do not want to know what is happening in other countries, but these are not people we  can be trust about  Malaysia’s survival and prosperity as an open economy.

It is sad and tragic that while  Malaysia, like the rest of the world, is fighting an invisible war against the Covid-19 pandemic, there are political leaders  who are only preoccupied with the “spoils of war” in the Sheraton Move, utterly heedless about the “casualties” in the invisible war against the Covid-19 pandemic, viz: parliamentary democracy, integrity, justice, national trust and solidarity.

Malaysians, regardless of race, religion, region or politics, suffer when there is a parliamentary lockdown and suspension of Parliament’s constitutional role of oversight and scrutiny  of government actions, in particular to prevent a return of  abuses of power, rampant corruption, revival of kleptocracy or widespread violation  of human rights.

The Perlis State Assembly yesterday held a full session – so did the Sabah State Assembly which met for three days  as well as  the Penang and Selangor  State Assemblies.

Can the Prime Minister explain the reason for the truncated Parliamentary meeting on Monday allowing Members of Parliament to  hear only the Royal Address, with the whole meeting adjourned in less than an hour, when the State Assemblies in Perlis, Sabah, Penang and  Selangor could meet?

Yesterday, another Perikatan Nasional MP was appointed as Chairman of a GLC, in keeping with the announcement by the Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Takiyuddin Hassan, that all government MPs who do not presently hold positions in government will be made heads of government-linked companies (GLCs).

This was anotherinstance of the “spoils of war in the Sheraton Move” taking priority over the “casualties of the invisible war against the Covid-19 pandemic”!

When will it end? This will be fertile ground for  the return of abuses of power,  rampant corruption, the revival of kleptocracy and widespread violation of human rights!

The Perikatan Nasional (PN) government has completely subordinated the “casualties” in the invisible war  against Covid-19 to  the “spoils of war” from the Sheraton Move, which is why the government has no “all-of-society” exit plan strategy and blueprint in the pandemic to present to Parliament on Monday.

This is also the reason for the shocking plea bargain involving Riza Abdul Aziz who was given a discharge not amounting to an acquittal (DNAA) for money laundering involving US$248 million (RM1.08 billion) linked to 1MDB funds in exchange for his returning an estimated US$107.3 million (RM465.3 million).

The PN must declare its stand on the 1MDB scandal – whether it endorses the Pakatan Harapan stand that it  is the biggest financial scandal in the nation’s history, which resulted in the sacking of Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin as Deputy Prime Minister, or whether it has reverted to the stance of the previous  Barisan Nasional government before the 14th General Election on May 9, 2018, regarding all talk of 1MDB scandal as lies and distortions where even MPs were banned from debating the issue in Parliament.

(Media Statement by DAP MP for Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Sianjg on Thursday, 21st May 2020)

                This entry was posted on Thursday, 21 May 2020, 9:26 am and is filed under
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It is incontrovertible that the Sheraton Move and the ensuing political turmoil resulted in the second wave of the Covid-19 outbreak and the imposition of the MCO and CMCO as there was no Cabinet in Malaysia  for 15 days   from February 24 to March 9, 2020.

It is incontrovertible that the Sheraton Move and the ensuing political turmoil resulted in the second wave of the Covid-19 outbreak and the imposition of the movement control order (MCO) and CMHO, as there was no Cabinet in Malaysia for 15 days from February 24 to March 9, 2020.

I am surprised that there are people  who are so dense and  obtuse as to want to argue this point, but I believe thinking Malaysians know what is the truth.

The effect of this absence of a Cabinet for 15 days is reflected in the epidemiological curve of Covid-19 in Malaysia, where in the first wave of the Covid-19 outbreak from January 25 to February 26, cumulative Covid-19 cases recorded 22 cases and no death, and there was no new case in the eleven days in the period from Feb. 16-26.

The second wave of the Covid-19 outbreak started on Feb. 27, beginning with an increase of two cases that day, till the imposition of movement control order on March 18, which  registered 227 new cases in the previous  24 hours and recorded a  total of 790 Covid-19 cases.

According to a model used by JP Morgan, the  epidemiological curve was to peak in  mid-April with 6,300 cases, but thanks to MCO,  it peaked on April 3, and was  flattened and on a downward decline. Yesterday, there was a daily increase of 50 Covid-19 cases, bringing the grand total in Malaysia to 7,059 cases.

After the peak on April 3, which saw an increase of 217 cases in the previous 24 hours, the daily increase had been below 200 cases, and in the past 16 days, the daily increase  had been in two-digit figures.  I am looking forward to the day when  there will be no daily increase of Covid-19 cases and no  Covid-19 death.

Malaysia should  have avoided the second wave of the Covid-19 outbreak when  the Covid-19 outbreak was contained at  22 cases and no death, and  in the ten days from Feb. 16 – 16  when there were no new daily cases.

But  because of the Sheraton Move and the ensuing political turmoil resulting in no Cabinet for 15 days, there was a resurgence of the Covid-19 outbreak resulting in a second wave, which fortunately have  now  been brought under control to yesterday’s 7,059 cases and 114 deaths.

I have seen the video made by American dentist, Dr. Dustin Pfundheller praising   the government’s response to the Covid-19 outbreak, and I agree with him  that thanks to the dedication of the frontliners and the cooperation of Malaysians, Malaysia had done a good job in bringing the second wave of the Covid-19 outbreak under control since the imposition of the MCO and CMCO.

As Dustin Pfundheller pointed out,  Malaysia in March had three times more cases than any country in Southeast Asia but is now quite a safe country in terms of Covid-19 outbreak.

In fact, Malaysia was the world’s top 18th country in terms of the number of Covid-19 cases when the MCO was imposed on March 18, but now we are ranked No. 57 in the world, and we performed particularly well when compared with the world’s top five countries in terms of cumulative total of Covid-19 cases, as seen from the following figures for March 18 and May 20:

Total number of Covid-19 cases:

March 18

May 20

Number of Times Increase

USA

9,269

1,618,822

175

Russia

147

317,554

2,160

Brazil

529

310,087

586

Spain

14,769

280,117

18.9

UK

2,626

250,908

95.5

Malaysia

790

7,059

8.9

In another video made on 25th April,  Dustin Pfundheller focussed on “Top 15 countries fighting Covid-19” which excluded Malaysia completely. Malaysia  was also omitted in the  “Honourable Mention” of 10 countries at the end of the video.

This caused him on May 9 to make a video  on “Malaysia’s coronavirus Incredible Success story – Covid-19” to make up for his omission to recognize Malaysia as “one of the safest countries in the world”  after having  three times more Covid-19 cases than any country in Southeast Asia in March.

The Covid-19 pandemic is a global phenomenon, and I have always advocated that Malaysia must learn from the successes and mistakes of other nations so that we can develop one of the best practices instead of pursuing  the worst practices in the pandemic.

But if an incontrovertible fact that the absence of a Cabinet for 15 days caused by the Sheraton Move and the ensuing political turmoil had led to the second wave of Covid-19 outbreak and the CMO and  ECMO in Malaysia  could be disputed, how are Malaysians to move forward in the next two to five years to learn to live with the coronavirus until an effective vaccine is developed and widely available?

We must now move forward to  the next phase of the invisible war against Covid-19 pandemic – to contain the Covid-19 outbreak and ensure that there is no resurgence while quickly effecting a bounce-back of the Malaysian economy and ensure that no one in Malaysia is left behind in the post-pandemic era.

To do this, the government  must have an exit plan strategy and blueprint which is a “whole-of-society” programme which takes the people into confidence, ensure fullest transparency and where Parliament can play its constitutional role of oversight and scrutiny of government actions to prevent abuses of power, rampant corruption, revival of kleptocracy and widespread violation of human rights.

(Media Statement by DAP MP for Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang on Friday, 22nd May 2020)

                This entry was posted on Friday, 22 May 2020, 12:41 pm and is filed under
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Memang tidak dapat disangkal lagi, ketiadaan kabinet di Malaysia selama 15 hari di antara 24 Februari sehingga 9 Mac 2020 kerana Langkah Sheraton dan pergolakan politik yang menyusulinya menjadi punca kepada gelombang kedua penularan Covid-19 yang telah mengakibatkan pelaksanaan PKP dan PKPB dalam negara kita

Memang tidak dapat disangkal lagi, ketiadaan kabinet di Malaysia selama 15 hari di antara 24 Februari sehingga 9 Mac 2020 kerana Langkah Sheraton dan pergolakan politik yang menyusulinya menjadi punca kepada gelombang kedua penularan Covid-19 yang telah mengakibatkan pelaksanaan PKP dan PKPB dalam negara kita.

Saya terkejut masih terdapat mereka yang kurang bijak yang masih mahu mempertikaikan perkara ini, tetapi saya percaya yang rakyat Malaysia tahu perkara sebenarnya.

Kesan ketiadaan Kabinet selama 15 hari ini dapat dilihat dalam graf epidemiologi Covid-19 di Malaysia, di mana dalam gelombang penularan pertama di antara 25 Januari sehingga 26 Februari, jumlah terkumpul kes Covid-19 hanyalah berjumlah 22 kes dengan sifar kematian, yang disusuli dengan tempoh sebelas hari tanpa sebarang kes baharu dia antara Februari 16 ke 26.

Gelombang kedua penularan wabak ini bermula pada 27 Februari, bermula dengan peningkatan dua kes pada hari tersebut, sehinggalah pelaksanaan perintah kawalan pergerakan pada 18 Mac yang melihatkan sejumlah 790 kes dicatatkan, dengan 227 kes hanya dalam tempoh 24 jam sebelumnya.

Mengikut satu model yang digunakan oleh JP Morgan, lengkungan epidemiologi negara kita dijangkakan akan memuncak pada pertengahan bulan April dengan 6,300 kes. Namun begitu, dengan pelaksanaan PKP, gelombang ini telah memuncak pada 3 April dan kini berada di dalam satu trajektori menurun. Semalam, negara kita mencatatkan peningkatan harian sebanyak 50 kes Covid-19, membawa jumlah keseluruhan kes dalam negara kepada 7,059 kes.

Selepas kemuncak pada 3 April, yang melihat peningkatan harian sebanyak 217 kes dalam tempoh 24 jam sebelumnya, jumlah peningkatan kes harian telah berada di bawah paras 200 kes dan dalam tempoh 16 hari yang lalu, jumlah peningkatan kes harian dalam negara kita berada di dalam julat dua angka. Saya berharap jumlah peningkatan ini akan terus berkurangan sehinggalah tiada lagi sebarang kes baharu dan kematian baharu.

Negara kita sepatutnya dapat mengelakkan gelombang kedua ini semasa penularan berjaya dikawal setakat 22 kes positif dengan sifar kematian, dengan 10 sehari yang menyusuli tempoh ini tanpa sebarang kes baharu.

Tetapi kerana berlakunya Langkah Sheraton yang membawa bersamanya pergolakan politik yang menyebabkan negara kita tidak mempunyai kabinet selama 15 hari, terjadilah gelombang kedua penularan wabak ini, yang setakat hari ini telah mencatatkan 7,059 kes dan mengorbankan 114 nyawa.

Saya telah menonton video yang dibuat oleh doktor gigi daripada Amerika Dr Dustin Pfundheller yang memuji tindakan kerajaan dalam mengendalikan penularan wabak ini dan saya bersetuju dengan beliau kerana usaha keras para petugas barisan hadapan di Malaysia dan kerjasama rakyat Malaysia, kita berjaya melakukan yang terbaik dalam mengawal penularan gelombang kedua ini sejak pelaksanaan PKP dan PKPB.

Seperti yang Dustin Pfundheller nyatakan, pada bulan Mac, negara kita mempunyai tiga kali lebih banyak kes daripada mana-mana negara di Asia Tenggara, tetapi kini Malaysia adalah negara yang agak selamat.

Malah, Malaysia berada dalam kedudukan ke-18 dari segi jumlah kes tertinggi pada 18 Mac, tetapi kini berada di kedudukan ke-57 di dalam dunia. Kita juga boleh dilihat sebagai berjaya jika dibandingkan dengan lima negara teratas, seperti yang boleh dilihat dalam carta dibawah:

Jumlah kes Covid-19

18 Mac

20 Mei

Peningkatan (kali ganda)

USA

9,269

1,618,822

175

Rusia

147

317,554

2,160

Brazil

529

310,087

586

Sepanyol

14,769

280,117

18.9

UK

2,626

250,908

95.5

Malaysia

790

7,059

8.9

Di dalam satu video berasingan yang dibuat pada 25 April, Dustin Pfundheller memberikan fokus kepada “15 negara dalam melawan Covid-19” yang mengecualikan Malaysia sama sekali, malah Malaysia tidak termasuk ke dalam “Senarai Kepujian” dalam kalangan 10 negara yang disebut dalam pengakhiran video itu sekalipun.

Perkara ini telah menyebabkan beliau untuk mengeluarkan satu video baharu pada 9 Mei mengenai “Kisah Kejayaan Koronavirus Malaysia – Covid-19” untuk mengiktiraf kejayaan Malaysia sebagai “salah satu negara paling selamat Asia Tenggara” selepas mempunyai tiga kali lebih kes daripada mana-mana negara lain di kawasan tersebut.

Wabak Covid-19 ini adalah satu fenomena global, dan saya sentiasa menyeru supaya Malaysia belajar daripada kejayaan dan kegagalan negara-negara lain supaya kita boleh membangunkan amalan terbaik kita sendiri dan tidak melakukan amalan terburuk ketika negara dilanda bencana.

Tetapi jika fakta yang tidak disangkal lagi, seperti hakikat ketiadaan Kabinet selama 15 hari yang disebabkan oleh Langkah Sheraton telah menyebabkan berlakunya gelombang kedua penularan Covid-19 di negara kita pun mahu dipertikaikan, bagaimanakah untuk rakyat Malaysia mara kehadapan dalam tempoh dua ke lima tahun yang akan datang, untuk belajar hidup bersama virus ini sehinggalah vaksin yang berkesan dicipta dan tersedia meluas?

Sekarang kita perlu bergerak kehadapan ke dalam fasa baharu peperangan melawan Covid-19 — untuk mengekang penularan wabak ini dan memastikan tidak berlakunya sebarang kenaikan semula jumlah kes dalam negara, dan pada masa yang sama melonjakkan semula ekonomi negara untuk memastikan tidak ada sesiapa pun yang tertinggal kebelakang dalam era pasca-Covid-19.

Untuk melakukan perkara ini, kerajaan harus mempunyai satu rancangan keluar untuk negara kita yang mempunyai pendekatan melibatkan “keseluruhan masyarakat” yang memberikan rakyat Malaysia keyakinan, memastikan terdapatnya ketelusan, dan di mana Parlimen dapat memainkan peranannya dalam meneliti dan menyemak imbang tindakan kerajaan untuk mengelakkan berlakunya penyalah-gunaan kuasa, rasuah yang berleluasa, pengembalian kleptokrasi, dan pencabulan hak asasi manusia.

Kenyataan Media Ahli Parlimen DAP Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang pada hari Jumaat 22 Mei 2020

                This entry was posted on Friday, 22 May 2020, 6:25 pm and is filed under
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On this Hari Raya Aidilfritri, let Malaysians resolve to preserve, protect and defend the Malaysian Constitution as the basis to take the country to greater height

On this Hari Raya Aidilfritri, let Malaysians resolve to preserve, protect and defend the Malaysian Constitution as the basis to take the country to greater heights

The Hari Raya Aidilfitri this year is celebrated under unprecedented conditions, where there is no “balik kampong”, the Prime Minister in quarantine and Malaysians have to learn to live with the Covid-19 virus with new norms like social distancing and movement controls.

The Covid-19 pandemic knows no distinctions, whether race, religion, colour or nationality.

All the great religions of the world are represented in the world’s top 20 countries in terms of cumulative total of Covid-19 confirmed cases, viz:

No

Country

No. of cases

Deaths

1.

USA

1,644,635

97,635

2.

Brazil

330,890

21,048

3.

Russia

326,448

3,249

4.

Spain

281,904

28,628

5.

United Kingdom

254,195

36,393

6.

Italy

228,658

32,616

7.

France

182,219

28,289

8.

Germany

179,713

8,352

9.

Turkey

154,500

4,276

10.

Iran

131,652

7,300

11.

India

124,794

3,726

12.

Peru

111,698

3,244

13.

China

82,971

4,634

14.

Canada

82,420

6,245

15.

Saudi Arabia

67,719

364

16.

Chile

61,857

630

17.

Mexico

59,567

6,510

18.

Belgium

56,511

9,212

19.

Pakistan

50,694

1,067

20.

Netherlands

44,888

5,788

Malaysians are thankful that we have moved out of this category, as we were ranked No. l8 on March 18 when the MCO was imposed but we are now in the 56th position with 7,137 cases and 115 deaths.

The daily increase of Covid-19 infections have been in double-digit figures for the past 17 days and I am looking forward to the day when there is no daily increase of Covid-19 cases and no Covid-19 death.

As we celebrate this Muslim festivity in muted conditions, let us begin to learn the new norms we have to live in a coronavirus world, which may take two to five years until an effective vaccine is developed and widely available.

But while we learn the new norms in a coronavirus world, let us not forget the old verities, and a very important one is for all Malaysians to resolve to preserve, protect and defend the Malaysian Constitution as the basis to take the country to greater heights!

Let us also resolve not to permit the Covid-19 pandemic to break the Malaysian spirit or nation or to put the clock back to allow abuses of power, rampant corruption, revival of kleptocracy or widespread violation of human rights.

Malaysians must also not forget the eternal truths about integrity, justice, love, compassion and mercy.

Malaysians must continue to celebrate that the diverse races, religions and regions which have come together to build a new Malaysian nation and civilization should, as the founding Prime Minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman, had said “a beacon of light in a disturbed and distracted world” on the day this nation was founded 63 years ago.

As the Yang di Pertuan Agong said in his Royal Address to Parliament in Monday, let us set forth, whatever the challenges and vicissitudes before us, to take Malaysia to greater heights.

Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri. Maaf, Zahir dan Batin.

[
Hari Raya Aidilfitri Message by DAP MP for Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang on Saturday, May 23, 2020
]

Artikel ini juga boleh didapati dalam Bahasa Malaysia di:
https://blog.limkitsiang.com/2020/05/23/pada-hari-raya-aidilfitri-ini-marilah-kita-semua-sebagai-rakyat-malaysia-beriltizam-untuk-memelihara-dan-mempertahankan-perlembagaan-malaysia-sebagai-asas-kemajuan-negara/

                This entry was posted on Saturday, 23 May 2020, 12:57 pm and is filed under
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Pada Hari Raya Aidilfitri ini, marilah kita semua sebagai rakyat Malaysia beriltizam untuk memelihara dan mempertahankan Perlembagaan Malaysia sebagai asas kemajuan negara

Sambutan Hari Raya Aidilfitri untuk tahun ini disambut dengan suasana yang sangat berbeza, tidak boleh untuk balik ke kampung masing-masing, Perdana Menteri sedang dikuarantin, dan rakyat Malaysia secara amnya perlu belajar untuk hidup bersama dengan virus Covid-19 ini dengan tabiat-tabiat baharu seperti penjarakan sosial dan kawalan pergerakan.

Wabak Covid-19 ini tidak mengenali perbezaan, baik dari segi kaum, agama, warna kulit, atau kewarganegaraan.

Kita dapat lihat dalam kalangan 20 negara dengan jumlah kes terkumpul tertinggi, virus ini menjangkiti manusia daripada semua latar belakang agama, tanpa pilih kasih:

No.

Negara

Jumlah kes

Kematian

1.

AS

1,644,635

97,635

2.

Brazil

330,890

21,048

3.

Rusia

326,448

3,249

4.

Sepanyol

281,904

28,628

5.

UK

254,195

36,393

6.

Itali

228,658

32,616

7.

Perancis

182,219

28,289

8.

Jerman

179,713

8,352

9.

Turki

154,500

4,276

10.

Iran

131,652

7,300

11.

India

124,794

3,726

12.

Peru

111,698

3,244

13.

China

82,971

4,634

14.

Kanada

82,420

6,245

15.

Arab Saudi

67,719

364

16.

Chile

61,857

630

17.

Mexico

59,567

6,510

18.

Belgium

56,511

9,212

19.

Pakistan

50,694

1,067

20.

Belanda

44,888

5,788

Rakyat Malaysia dapat menzahirkan kesyukuran memandangkan kita sudah keluar daripada kategori ini. Malaysia berada pada kedudukan ke-18 pada 18 Mac semasa PKP mula dilaksanakan, kini kita berada di kedudukan ke-56, dengan 7,137 kes dan 115 kematian.

Jumlah peningkatan harian kes baharu dalam tempoh 17 hari yang lepas kekal berada di dalam julat dua angka, dan saya berharap untuk melihat sifar peningkatan harian dan sifar kematian akibat Covid-19 dalam masa terdekat.

Dalam kita menyambut perayaan ini dengan suasana yang sedikit suram, marilah kita mempelajari norma-norma baharu yang diperlukan dalam dunia baharu pasca-Covid-19. Kita mungkin perlu untuk hidup bersama dengan virus ini untuk tempoh di antara dua sehingga lima tahun yang akan datang, sehinggalah vaksin yang berkesan diciptakan dan tersedia dengan meluas.

Tetapi, dalam pada masa yang sama, kita juga harus beringat kepada satu perkara yang amat penting, iaitu untuk semua rakyat Malaysia beriltizam untuk memelihara dan mempertahankan Perlembagaan Malaysia sebagai asas kepada kemajuan negara.

Marilah kita juga beriltizam untuk tidak membenarkan wabak Covid-19 ini untuk mematahkan semangat Malaysia, memecah belahkan negara, mahupun untuk membenarkan kembalinya penyalah-gunaan kuasa, rasuah yang berleluasa, pengembalian kleptokrasi, ataupun pencabulan hak asasi manusia.

Kita semua boleh melupakan kepentingan integriti, keadilan, cinta, dan belas kasihan.

Kita harus terus meraikan kepelbagaian kaum, agama, dan wilayah yang telah bersatu untuk membina sebuah negara dan peradaban Malaysia yang baharu, seperti yang digambarkan oleh Bapa Kemerdekaan, Tunku Abdul Rahman, 63 tahun yang lalu; “satu suar cahaya di dalam dunia yang kacau bilau”.

Seperti yang dititahkan oleh Yang di Pertuan Agong dalam Titah Diraja Baginda kepada Parlimen pada hari Isnin lalu, marilah kita mara ke hadapan, biar apa pun cabaran yang dihadapi kita, untuk membawa negara kita ke satu kemuncak yang baharu.

Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri. Maaf, zahir dan batin.

[
Perutusan Hari Raya Aidilfitri Ahli Parlimen DAP Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang pada hari Sabtu, 23 Mei 2020
]

This article is also available in English at:
https://blog.limkitsiang.com/2020/05/23/on-this-hari-raya-aidilfritri-let-malaysians-resolve-to-preserve-protect-and-defend-the-malaysian-constitution-as-the-basis-to-take-the-country-to-greater-height/

                This entry was posted on Saturday, 23 May 2020, 2:16 pm and is filed under
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Malaysia can learn an  inter-faith lesson from Germany where a Berlin church hosted Muslim prayer to illustrate how communities can be more closely-knit in a  coronavirus world

Malaysia can learn an  inter-faith lesson from Germany where a Berlin church hosted Muslim prayer to illustrate how communities can be more closely-knit in a  coronavirus world.

This happened when a  church in Berlin helped  a nearby mosque to comply with social distancing guidelines by hosting Friday prayers.

Places of worship re-opened earlier this month in Germany  but worshippers must maintain a minimum of distance from one another of 1.5 metres (five feet).

Berlin’s  Dar Assalam mosque, which had  hundreds of Muslims on Fridays, could  only accommodate 50 people at a time.

The nearby Martha Lutheran church stepped in to help, hosting Muslim prayers in Arabic and German.

The mosque’s imam, Mohamad Taha Sabry said: “The church saw how Muslims were suffering and asked us: ‘Do you need space to pray?’ That is an amazing sign of solidarity in these times.

“This pandemic has made us a community. Crises bring people get together.”

He led  his congregation in prayer watched over by a stained-glass window depicting the Virgin Mary.

The church’s pastor was  moved by the Muslim call to prayer and said:

“I took part in the prayer. I gave a speech in German. And during prayer, I could only say yes, yes, yes, because we have the same concerns and we want to learn from you. And it is beautiful to feel that way about each other.”

This is a touching story of how the Covid-19 pandemic can bring together diverse peoples,  nations and religions.

Isn’t there something for Malaysians to  learn from this story in a coronavirus world?

How fantastic if the  German story of the community spirit of the Muslim mosque and the Christian church could be replicated all over the world.

Instead of  considerable hatred, venom  and animosities among diverse  peoples, nations and religions resulting in an unprecedented avalanche of fake news over the Covid-19 pandemic, we should be emphasising the spirit of  community in the coronavirus world.

As a multi-racial, multi-religious and  multi-cultural nation,  Malaysia should be in the forefront to develop the best practices in the invisible war against  Covid-19 instead of indulging in the worst practices.

The Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin in his Hari Raya Aidilfitri message  implied an exit plan for the movement control order (MCO) is in the works while urging community leaders to take charge in helping to break the transmission of Covid-19.

This is too slow as for over a month ago,  I had been calling  for an  exit plan strategy and blueprint to be discussed by Parliament and the Malaysian public.

It is now more than two months since the imposition of the MCO on March 18.

Who would have thought of the global changes in the Covid-19 pandemic in  the past two months?

Two months ago, China was still the leading nation with the most number of Covid-19 cases and deaths.  But for the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic in the last five months, China recorded no new confirmed Covid-19 cases.

But world-wide, the Covid-19 pandemic is  raging like a wild fire, having surpassed 5.4 million cases and 343,000 deaths.

For the first time, the global daily increase of  Covid-19 infections in the last 24 hours  fell short of 100,000 cases by less than 150 cases when the global total of Covid-19 confirmed cases was less than 240,000 cases on March 18 when the MCO was imposed.

The top ten countries in the world with the most number of Covid-19 cases when Malaysia launched  the MCO on March 18 were China, Italy, Iran, Spain, Germany, United States, France, South Korea, Switzerland and United Kingdom have been replaced by United States, Brazil, Russia, Spain, United Kingdom, Italy, France, Germany,  Turkey and Iran – with Brazil, Russia and Turkey joining  the group while China,  South Korea and  Switzerland have dropped out.

In fact, the top 15 countries where the coronavirus infection is spreading like a wildfire contribute over 80 per cent of the nearly 100,000 daily increase of Covid-19 cases, as shown the increase in Covid-19 cases in the past 24 hours:

Increase of Covid-19 cases in past 24 hours:

1.     United States –        21,902

2.     Brazil –                    16,508

3.     Russia –                    9,434

4.     India –                       6.629

5.     Peru –                       4,056

6.     Chile –                       3,536

7.     Mexico –                   2,960

8.     United Kingdom –       2,959

9.     Saudi Arabia –           2,442

10. South Africa –            1,218

11.  Bangladesh –            1,873

12. Iran –                        1,869

13. Pakistan –                 1,743

14. Qatar –                       1,732

15. Turkey –                     1,186

We must continue to be alert to the successes and mistakes of other nations, and this is why it is of paramount importance that Malaysia must have the confidence and trust of the people in the exit plan strategy and blueprint in the coronavirus world which may last two to five years.

But if the government lacks confidence to allow Parliament to play its constitutional role of oversight and scrutiny, how is it going to gain the trust of the people in its exit plan strategy and blueprint?

(Media Statement by DAP MP for Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang on Sunday, 24th May 2010)

                This entry was posted on Sunday, 24 May 2020, 11:56 am and is filed under
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Let Malaysia avoid the infamy of being the only country in the world to lockdown Parliament and suspend parliamentary oversight and scrutiny of government for this is the road to defeat in the invisible war against Covid-19 to revive the economy devastated by the coronavirus

Yesterday, the  169-year-old  New York Times filled the entire front page of  its Sunday paper with the death notices of victims from the Covid-19 pandemic  from across the United States.

In a decision the paper said was intended to convey the vastness and variety of the tragedy, the front page is a simple list of names and personal details taken from obituaries around the US.

The headline is “US deaths near 100,000, an incalculable loss”, with a sub-heading that reads: “They were not simply names on a list. They were us.”

The entire list, which continues inside, numbers nearly 1,000 names,  is a fraction of the total loss of life in the US during the outbreak so far, which, according to the Worldometer’s Covid-19 Data,  stands at 1,685, 368 Covid-19 confirmed cases and 99,286 deaths at the end of Sunday  – missing the 100,000 mark by 714 deaths.

The 100,000 deaths in the United States will be reached today, as the daily average of death toll in the United States  in the past one week had  exceeded 1,151 deaths.

The grim milestone of 100,000 coronavirus deaths in the United States is a great tragedy for mankind, just as the greater global toll of 346,416 deaths is a greater tragedy for humanity.

There  is no  cause for such a tragedy in the United States  but for the folly of the nation’s leaders, in particular the US President, Donald Trump.

The United States and Vietnam had the first confirmed case of Covid-19 almost at the same time in January this year, but in the past four months, the Covid-19 outbreak was brought  under control in  Vietnam, which is now  ranked as No. 143 nation  in the world for the number of Covid-19 confirmed cases,  recording  325 cases with no death in a population of almost 100 million people and which shares a substantial border with China.

The United State went berserk  in the opposite direction, with the Covid-19 pandemic raged like a prairie fire, shooting the United States to the world’s top nation with  the most number of Covid-19 confirmed cases and deaths –  1,685,368 cases and close to 100,000 deaths.

What went wrong with the American system of government when the United States, which  had about 100 times more GDP than  Vietnam,  showed  itself to be very  backward in fighting the pandemic while  a poorer  Vietnam proved itself superior to the United States in the invisible war against the Covid-19 pandemic?

Instead of bringing the Covid-10 pandemic under control, President Trump was more interested in distracting attention of the American voters in a presidential-election year from his colossal failure of leadership by making  ridiculous accusations of conspiratorial theories against the Chinese government.

It is extremely ironic that the United States Government has now  banned  travel into the United States from Brazil, where the Covid-19 pandemic has been spiking to become the world’s top No. 2 country with the most number of Covid-19 cases – 363,619 confirmed cases and 22,716 deaths – when Trump and the Brazilian President, Jair Bolsonaro, had been “soul mates” in playing down the risks of Covid-19.

Let us learn from the mistakes and successes of other nations.

Although we have done fairly well in bringing the second wave of the Covid-19 outbreak under control  – which we should have been spared  if not for the Sheraton Move and the ensuing political turmoil – the jury is still out whether we have won the invisible war against Covid-19, which must  involve victory in two parts:

· Bringing the Covid-19 outbreak under control, which includes ensuring that there will be no resurgence of the coronavirus until an effective vaccine is developed and widely available – which can take up to five years; and

· An  “all-of-government” and “whole-of-society” exit plan strategy and blueprint to revive the Malaysian economy in the quickest possible time and overcome the devastating effects of the pandemic.

The government should always be aware that we must win both parts of the invisible  war against Covid-19, to contain the coronavirus and  to revive the economy devastated by the coronavirus.

Let Malaysia avoid the infamy of being the  only country in the world to lockdown Parliament and suspend parliamentary oversight and scrutiny of government in the Covid-19 pandemic, for this can only lead to defeat in Malaysia’s  invisible  war  to revive the economy devastated by the Covid-19 outbreak.

(Media Statement by DAP MP for Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang on Tuesday, May 25, 2020)

                This entry was posted on Monday, 25 May 2020, 12:45 pm and is filed under
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Is Parliament going to be fully locked down until the Budget 2021 session in September, with all parliamentary committees completely paralysed?

There is need for clarity from Perikatan Nasional Government, whether Parliament is going to be fully locked down until the Budget 2021 session in September, with all parliamentary committees completely paralysed?

Although the earlier Parliament calendar states that the next parliamentary meeting will be in July for 25 days from July 13 to August 25, Members of Parliament are uncertain whether this calendar will be strictly adhered to as there had been four variations to the Parliamentary calender for this year alone.

Furthermore, will all parliamentary select committees be frozen and paralysed for nine months of this year?

                                                                                There are now 10 parliamentary select committees under the Pakatan Harapan government, viz: Consideration of Bills Committee; the Budget Committee; the Rights and Gender Equality Committee; the Major Public Appointments Committee; the Defence and Home Affairs Committee; the Federal State Relations Committee; the Election; the International Relations and Trade Committere; the Human Rights and Constitutional Affairs; and Science, Innovation and Environment.

It will be the height of parliamentary irresponsibility if for nine long months, all these 10 Parliamentary Select Committees are paralysed and cannot perform their constitutional role of parliamentary oversight and scrutiny of government actions, particularly during the Covid-19 pandemic.

It will a further height of parliamentary irresponsibility if the real intention of the PN government is to dissolve all these parliamentary select committees.

We are  clearly in abnormal times, not just because of the Covid-19 pandemic, but because of a “backdoor” government which is afraid to test its legitimacy in Parliament.

For this reason, it will be fully characteristic of a “backdoor” government to find new excuses  from the Covid-19 pandemic to skip the July meeting of Parliament till the 2021 Budget session in September, which the government could not suspend unless it suspends parliamentary democracy altogether.

Parliament should have set up a Parliamentary Select Committee on Health and Social Care when it met on May 18 to provide oversight and scrutiny of government actions in the Covid-19 pandemic, but the government was so afraid of a normal meeting of Parliament as it would have shown up its lack of majority in Parliament.

How long more will Parliament in Malaysia be hijacked?

Is it any wonder that a recent  report in the New York Times entitled “Democracy Fades in Malaysia as Old Order Returns to Power” said:

“Malaysia’s new government looks much like its scandal-stained old government. And under cover of the coronavirus, its opponents have been muzzled.”

Last month, the Prime Minister, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, said that the people were “sick” of politics and that since he became prime minster, he had not thought about it.

Is this true?

He could not even convince foreigner observers.

This is what a recent “Leader” of Economist said:

“But politicking will not go away. The wobblier Mr Muhyiddin appears, the weightier the incentives he must dangle before wavering lawmakers to keep their backing. Already he has dished out more than 60 jobs as ministers or deputies—in a parliament of just 222 members.”

That was last week.  He already  has the most bloated Cabinet in Malaysian history –  of more than seventy –  with some of the most mediocre Ministers in memory.

The appointment of government  backbenchers and politicians to GLCs, GLICs and other political appointments has become a great scandal of its own.

So much for Muhyddin’s absurd claim that since he became Prime Minister, he had not thought about politics, when he should be asked when he had stopped thinking about politics and securing a clear majority in Parliament since becoming Prime Minister.

(Media Statement of DAP MP for Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang on Tuesday, 26th May 2020)

                This entry was posted on Tuesday, 26 May 2020, 8:15 am and is filed under
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Trump is the worst world  leader in fighting the invisible war against Covid-19 with United States exceeding 100,000 deaths but  Malaysia must not join the gallery of rogue nations  by locking down Parliament and paralysing parliamentary oversight and  scrutiny during the pandemic

Spain has declared 10 days of mourning starting today for the 27,000 people who have died from coronavirus in the country.

Flags will be hoisted to half-staff in more than 14,000 public buildings across the country and on Spanish naval vessels until 5 June. It marks the longest official mourning period in Spain’s four-decade-old democracy.

By the same standard, the United States should hold 40 days of mourning for over 100,000 people have perished from the Covid-19 pandemic as according to the Worldometer’s Covid-19 Data, United States has recorded 1,725,273 Covid-19 confirmed cases and 100,545 deaths in the United States.

But this is impossible, as United States President Donald Trump is the worst world leader in fighting the invisible war against the Covid-19 pandemic.

For the first time, Twitter has flagged some of President Trump’s tweets with a fact-check warning.

The infamy of being the  world’s second  worst leader in the invisible global war against Covid-19 should probably go to Trump’s “soulmate” in mocking the severity of  the Covid-19 pandemic,  Jair Bolsonaro, President of Brazil.

Brazil had catapulted from March 18 – when Malaysia imposed the movement control order MCO – from No. 24th ranking in terms of the most number of Covid-19 cases to the world’s top second nation,  i.e. from 529 cases and  four deaths on March 18 to 391,222 cases and  24,512 deaths (a horrendous leap of 740 times for increase of cases and 6,128 times for deaths – an even higher rate of increase of 187 times for number of cases and 867 times for deaths for the United States for the same period).

The health, economic, educational and social dimensions of the invisible war in the Covid-19 pandemic is unprecedented not only for  Malaysia, for all nations of the world, and this is why more than a month ago, I had called for a Covid-19 Pandemic Study Centre to learn from the successes and mistakes of other nations as every country is grappling with the problem how to find the best way to contain the spread of the coronavirus, avert a resurgence and  minimise overall harm to public health, society and the economy.

Although we have done fairly well in bringing the second wave of the Covid-19 outbreak under control – which we should have been spared if not for the Sheraton Move and the ensuing political turmoil – the jury is still out whether we have won the invisible war against Covid-19, which must involve victory in two parts:

· Bringing the Covid-19 outbreak under control, which includes ensuring that there will be no resurgence of the coronavirus until an effective vaccine is developed and widely available – which can take up to five years; and

· An “all-of-government” and “whole-of-society” exit plan strategy and blueprint to revive the Malaysian economy and educational and social life  in the quickest possible time and overcome the devastating effects of the pandemic.

The return of three-digit increase of Covid-19 cases in the last two days, although primarily centred at immigration detention centres, is a warning about  the resurgence of the coronavirus outbreak in Malaysia.

But we must not  lose sight of the economic, educational and social dimensions of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The International Labour Organization (ILO) has  warned  that 1.25 billion workers around the world, representing 38% of the global workforce, face a high risk of a pay cut or layoff.

For Malaysia, the Employers’ Federation has warned that  the Covid-19 pandemic will cost more than two million people in Malaysia their jobs.

It has urged the government to increase the wage subsidy for employee retention under the economic stimulus package as the current rate is not enough for employers to meet their expenses.

Yesterday, Singapore’s government announced another 33 billion Singapore dollars (US$23.2 billion) to support its economy which has been severely hit by the coronavirus pandemic.

That’s the fourth stimulus package that Singapore  has announced since the outbreak.

Along with the previous three stimulus packages, Singapore will spend nearly 100 billion Singapore dollars (US$70.4 billion) to help businesses and households manage the economic impact of the coronavirus –  almost 20% of the country’s GDP.

When is the Malaysian government’s fourth economic stimulus package?

Malaysia must not join the gallery of rogue nations, not in terms of increase of Covid-19 cases and deaths, but  by locking down Parliament and paralysing parliamentary oversight and  scrutiny during the pandemic as this will be the most self-defeating act to prevent Malaysia’s development of the best exit plan strategy and blueprint to win the multiple invisible  war  against Covid19  to save lives and livelihoods in Malaysia.

No best exit plan strategy and blueprint can be developed unless it is a “whole-of-society” one  which is the outcome of the fullest and widest public study and debate, where parliamentary oversight and scrutiny is an important and indispensable element.

Two events shone out in Prime Minister, Tan Sri Muhyddin Yassinh’s  44-year political life – firstly, when in 2009 he spearheaded the campaign over the question of “legitimacy” of the Prime Minister which  led to the resignation of the Prime Minister, Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and secondly, in 2015, when he stood up against the kleptocratic premiership of Abdullah’s successor, Datuk Seri Najib Razak over the 1MDB scandal, which led to his sacking as Deputy Prime Minister  and subsequent sacking from UMNO.

But both these legacies of Muhyiddin will be completely overshadowed by his opportunistic and unprincipled toppling of the Pakatan Harapan government and  formation of a backdoor government.

At least, Abdullah in the great tradition established by the third Prime Minister, Tun Hussein Onn, had the courage and political morality to seek a vote of confidence at the first available opportunity in Parliament  when he  became the fifth Prime Minister which is  in great contrast to Muhyiddin,  who had been avoiding a vote-of-confidence test in Parliament, causing him to use the excuse of  the Covid-19 pandemic to lockdown Parliament and to paralyse Parliament’s constitutional role of oversight and scrutiny of the Executive.

In his fortnight of self-quarantine because of Covid-19, is Muhyiddin likely to undo his  grave wrongs to Malaysia and to  stop the country  from the  trajectory which will end up in the infamy of  locking down Parliament and paralysing parliamentary oversight and scrutiny to save his premiership?

And is such a premiership, which is dependent on tolerating kleptocracy,  a return of rampant corruption, abuses of power,  widespread violation of human rights and infringement of the constitutional principles of the doctrine of separation of powers and the rule of law, worth it?

(Media Statement by DAP MP for Iskander Puteri Lim Kit Siang on Wednesday 27th May 2020)

                This entry was posted on Wednesday, 27 May 2020, 2:25 pm and is filed under
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Global increase of Covid-19 confirmed  cases exceed 100,000 cases yesterday and likely to reach 6 million cases by May 30

Kadar peningkatan harian kes Covid-19 di peringkat dunia semalam telah melepasi paras 100,000 kes sehari dan seluruh dunia dijangkakan mencecah 6 juta kes menjelang 30 Mei

Peningkatan harian kes Covid-19 yang disahkan semalam telah melepasi paras 100,000 kes sehari. Kini sejumlah 5,784,603 kes telah dicatatkan di seluruh dunia, peningkatan sebanyak 106,575 kes berbanding dengan hari sebelumnya.

Sementara negara kita menghelakan nafas lega dengan penurunan semula peningkatan harian ke dalam julat dua angka selepas mencatatkan peningkatan tiga angka untuk dua hari berturut-turut, wabak ini terus merebak ke seluruh dunia dengan peningkatan korban yang kian meningkat — dengan 213 negara dan jajahan yang telah terkesan, dan 187 negara yang telah melaporkan kematian.

Wabak ini mengambil masa selama 13 minggu untuk mencapai sejuta pertamanya; 12 hari untuk mencapai sejuta kedua, ketiga, dan keempat; dan kemungkinan besar hanya 10 hari untuk mencapai sejuta kelimanya dengan kadar kenaikan sedia ada. Kita mungkin bakal melihat kes keenam juta menjelang 30 Mei.

Kadar kematian akibat Covid-19 juga amatlah menghibakan, dengan Amerika Syarikat yang kini telah mencatatkan lebih daripada 100,000 kematian dengan 1,745,677 kes positif. Sementara itu, Brazil pula kini telah melonjak ke tangga kedua dengan 411,821 kes dan 25,598 kematian.

AS telah mencatatkan lebih banyak kematian berbanding dengan mana-mana negara dalam dunia dan mencatatkan hampir kali ganda lebih banyak kematian berbanding dengan negara kedua iaitu United Kingdom yang kini mempunyai 37,460 kematian akibat Covid-19.

Jumlah korban daripada daripada enam negara teratas sahaja — iaitu Amerika Syarikat (102,095), United Kingdom (37,460), Itali (33,072), Perancis (28,596), Sepanyol (27,118) dan Brazil (25,598) — telah mewakili hampir 71 peratus jumlah kematian global.

Jumlah korban sebenar akibat wabak ini mungkin lebih tinggi daripada angka yang dilaporkan kerana perbezaan definisi, kadar dan kelambatan keputusan ujian saringan, dan kemungkinan kurang-lapor.

Negara-negara di seluruh dunia kini sedang berusaha untuk hidup bersama dengan wabak ini sehinggalah satu vaksin yang berkesan dicipta dan tersedia dengan meluas: bagi membolehkan satu keseimbangan dicapai, di antara keperluan untuk membuka semula ekonomi negara dan pada masa yang sama mengekang penularan wabak Covid-19 dan bersedia untuk penularan semula yang mungkin terjadi pada bila-bila masa.

Bilakah Perdana Menteri Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin akan menyedari yang usaha untuk mencapai keseimbangan ini — untuk membuka semula ekonomi negara dan pada masa yang sama mengekang penularan semula wabak — adalah mustahil di negara kita tanpa keyakinan dan kepercayaan rakyat dan pemulihan semula kuasa menyemak imbang dan meneliti kepada Parlimen dalam menangani wabak Covid-19?

(Kenyataan Media Ahli Parlimen DAP Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang pada hari Khamis 28 Mei 2020)

==========================

The global increase of Covid-19 confirmed cases exceeds 100,000 cases yesterday. It is now  5,784,603 – an increase of 106,575 cases from the previous day.

While Malaysians sighed with relief that the increase yesterday  in  Malaysia  has returned to low double-digit figures after registering three-digit figures for two days, the Covid-19 pandemic is like a Grim Reaper continuing its ghastly march with increasing toll in  more and more regions in the world – latest count, 213 countries and territories with 187 having reported fatalities.

It took 13 weeks to reach the first million mark of Covid-19 confirmed cases, 12 days each  to reach the second, third and fourth  million mark, and for the fifth million mark, it is likely to reach in ten days at its present rate of increase – which means exceeding  6 million cases by May 30.

 Covid-19 deaths have also been appalling, with United States exceeding 100,000 deaths with 1,745,677 cases while Brazil has skyrocketed to be the world’s top No.2 with 411,821 Covid-19 confirmed cases and 25,598 deaths.

The US has recorded more deaths from the disease than any other country in the pandemic, and almost three times as many as the second-ranking country, United Kingdom, which has recorded 37,460 deaths.

The total toll from the top six countries for Covid-19 deaths, ie. United States (102,095), United Kingdom(37,460), Italy (33,072), France (28,596), Spain (27,118) and Brazil (25,598) account for 71 per cent of global toll of 356,826 deaths.

The true death toll and number of cases are likely to be significantly higher due to differing definitions and testing rates, delays and suspected underreporting.

All over the world, nations are struggling to live with coronavirus until an effective vaccine is developed and widely available:  to strike the best compromise between the need to re-open the economy and the need to contain the spread of Covid-19 while  primed for a second wave of Covid-19 outbreak, although in Malaysia we should be talking about a third wave.

When will the Prime Minister, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, realise that it is impossible to strike the best balance in Malaysia  between the need to re-open the economy and the need to contain the spread of Covid-19 without public trust, confidence and the opening of Parliament to restore parliamentary oversight and scrutiny of the Executive in the Covid-19 pandemic?

(Media Statement by DAP MP for Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang on Thursday, 28th May 2020)

                This entry was posted on Thursday, 28 May 2020, 4:18 pm and is filed under
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“Removal”  of Mahathir, Mukhriz, Maszlee, Syed Saddiq and Amiruddin as members of Bersatu the most blatant display of “politicking” by Muhyiddin  during the Covid-19 outbreak, giving the lie to his claim that since becoming Prime Minister,  he had not thought about politics  as the people are sick of it

“Pemecatan” Mahathir, Mukhriz, Maszlee, Syad Saddiq, dan Amiruddin sebagai ahli Bersatu adalah bukti terjelas permainan politik Muhyiddin ketika negara sedang dilanda wabak Covid-19, membongkarkan penipuan yang kononnya beliau tidak bermain politik kerana rakyat telah muak

Cubaan “membuang” Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Mukhriz Mahathir, Maszlee Malik, Syed Saddiq, dan Amiruddin Hamzah daripada Parti Bersatu adalah bukti paling jelas permainan politik Perdana Menteri Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin yang telah mengatakan pada bulan lepas yang beliau tidak pernah terfikir untuk berpolitik sejak mengangkat sumpah sebagai Perdana Menteri pada 1 Mac kerana “rakyat sudah muak” dengan politik.

Malah, kejadian ini menimbulkan persoalan mengenai mengapa Parlimen Malaysia masih disekat, dengan ahli-ahli parlimen dihalang daripada menjalankan tugas dan tanggungjawab mereka untuk menyemak imbang dan meneliti tindakan kerajaan sepanjang wabak Covid-19, sedangkan di negara lain yang kini berhadapan dengan beratus ribu kes Covid-19 Parlimen mereka masih lagi berfungsi.

Parlimen Singapura misalnya, bersidang seperti biasa, sebelum dan selepas persidangan sehari Parlimen Malaysia pada 18 Mei, sedangkan di Malaysia, sebarang hal-ehwal Parlimen dihalang pada hari tersebut.

Kejayaan terbesar 100 hari pertama pemerintahan Muhyiddin adalah dalam menyekat fungsi Parlimen Malaysia, yang kini telah membawa malu kepada bukan sahaja beliau, tetapi juga negara kita.

Mahathir dan empat pemimpin Bersatu sedang mencabar kesahan pembuangan mereka daripada parti tersebut, tetap tindakan menyekat dan melumpuhkan tanggungjawab ahli-ahli parlimen untuk meneliti dan menyemak imbang tindakan kerajaan semasa negara dilanda wabak Covid-19 masih belum dijawab oleh Perdana Menteri yang “tidak berpolitik”.

(Kenyataan Media Ahli Parlimen DAP Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang pada hari Jumaat 29 Mei 2020)

=====================

The attempted “removal” of Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, Mukhriz Mahathir, Maszlee Malik, Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman and Amiruddin Hamzah as members of Bersatu is the most blatant display of “politicking” by the Prime Minister, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and gave the lie to his claim last month that since becoming Prime Minister on March 1, he had not thought about politics as the people are “sick” of it.

In fact, it has raised again  the question why the Malaysian Parliament is locked down and MPs barred from performing their constitutional duties of parliamentary oversight and scrutiny of the Executive during the Covid-19 outbreak, when in  countries where the Covid-19 pandemic runs into hundreds of thousands of confirmed cases with death toll in five-digit figures,   their Parliaments are not muzzled or locked away.

Parliament in Singapore, for instance, met normally both before and after Malaysia’s one-day Parliament of May 18, when no parliamentary business was allowed to be transacted.

Muhyiddin’s greatest “achievement” in his Hundred Days as Prime Minister is his locking way of Parliament – earning infamy not only for himself but also for Malaysia.

Mahathir and the four other Bersatu leaders are challenging the legality of their removal as Bersatu members, but the lockdown of Parliament and the paralysing of the constitutional role of Members of Parliament of oversight and scrutiny of the Executive during the Covid-19 outbreak still await an answer from the self-proclaimed “non-politicking” Prime Minister.

(Media Statement by DAP MP for Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang on Friday, 29th May 2020)

                This entry was posted on Friday, 29 May 2020, 4:25 pm and is filed under
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Muhyiddin, who  has been politicking  from Day One as “backdoor” Prime Minister to lockdown Parliament and cripple  parliamentary oversight and scrutiny,  should explain whether the postponement of the 12th Malaysia Plan is a prelude to the cancellation of the July/August meeting of Parliament

It is now clear that the “backdoor” Prime Minister, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has been politicking from Day One to lockdown Parliament and cripple parliamentary oversight and scrutiny.

The nullification of the Bersatu membership of Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, Mukhriz Mahathir, Maszlee Malik, Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman and Amiruddin Hamzah and the postponement of the 12th Malaysia Plan are the latest politicking of the backdoor government, which give the lie to Muhyiddin’s  claim last month that since becoming Prime Minister on March 1, he had not thought about politics as the people were “sick” of it.

Let Muhyiddin explain whether the postponement of the 12th Malaysia Plan is a prelude to the cancellation of the July/August meeting of Parliament.

According to the parliamentary takwim (calender) sent out by the former  Parliament secretary, Riduan bin Rahmat, to all MPs on 18th March  before he was ignominiously, summarily and unconstitutionally sacked as Dewan Rakyat secretary on May 13, 2020 –  making him the shortest-term Dewan Rakyat secretary in Malaysian parliamentary history –  Parliament is to meet for 25 sittings from July 13 to August 27.

Already this parliamentary calender had been changed thrice since Muhyiddin became Prime Minister on March 1, 2020.

In the revised parliamentary calendar the 25-day July/August meeting, eight days are allocated to the Motion of Thanks for the Royal Address (the debate by backbenchers halved from the traditional  eight days to four days), 11 days for the debate on the 12th Malaysia Plan and  six days for government business including bills.

It is now reported that the Cabinet had as early as May 6 decided to postpone the tabling of the 12th Malaysia Plan in Parliament on August 6, 2020 to next year.

Why were  MPs and the Malaysian public not told of this Cabinet decision earlier?

With the postponement  of the 12th Malaysia Plan till next year, is this the prelude to the cancellation of the July/August meeting of Parliament, which will not have to meet until the end of  the year  for the passage of the 2021 Budget?

It is regrettable that during the Covid-19 outbreak, when the government should be setting a national example of uniting  Malaysians of diverse races and  religions  to face the new normal in the coronavirus world – containing the Covid-19 virus, preventing any resurgence, and achieving a national recovery of the economy and the national life in as short a time as possible –  the Cabinet is busy at wits’ end to find new  reasons to  justify the continued lockdown of Parliament and the paralysis of the role of Members of Parliament of oversight and scrutiny of the Executive.

Assurances like the ones given by the Finance Minister in a  Bernama interview that Malaysia has the capacity to spur economic recovery in 2021 impresses no one when the government is unable even  to present to Parliament its exit plan strategy and blueprint.

By continuing its Machiavellian politicking, like the lockdown of Parliament and the paralysis of the role of MPs of parliamentary oversight and scrutiny of the Executive, the present government is doing the greatest disservice to the nation.

The coronavirus is not going to go  away. It is  likely to be with us for up to five years.

The Covid-19 is still on a global rampage, recording over 6 million cases and surpassing 366,000 deaths.

Yesterday, it registered the largest daily increase of cases – over 125,000 cases.

When Malaysia imposed the movement control order (MCO) on March 18, the global total of  Covid-19 confirmed cases was 218,910 cases. Now this figure  would be reached in less than two days.

The jury is out whether Malaysia and the world have won the invisible war against the coronavirus –  public health, education and social.

In Malaysia, the conditional movement control order (CMCO) in still in force.

But what is certain is that the invisible war against Covid-19  cannot be won unless there is an unprecedented unity and community in  a  nation, and a government which could command such public confidence and trust.

The Cabinet must be reminded that the era where the government knows best is long past, and the Government must learn from Malaysians and the world how to achieve the new norm in a coronavirus world which may last as long as five years.

This is why the lockdown of Parliament and the paralysis of MPs’ role of oversight and scrutiny of the Executive during the Covid-19 outbreak must end.

(Media Statement by DAP MP for Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang on Saturday, 30th May 2020)

                This entry was posted on Saturday, 30 May 2020, 2:28 pm and is filed under
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Time to seriously consider the end of  movement restrictions although the government must be ready to impose targeted restrictions in the event of a resurgence of Covid-19 outbreak

The time has come for the government to seriously consider the end of movement restrictions although it must be ready to impose targeted restrictions in the event of a resurgence of the Covid-19 outbreak.

Yesterday, the Health director-general Dr. Noor Hisham Abdullah said Malaysia is in the final phase of Covid-19 recovery following the implementation of movement curbs beginning March 18, and that if the people follow the SOPs, there might not be a third wave in Malaysia.

Dr Noor Hisham said “R-Naught” (R0) – which measures how contagious a disease is – readings have dropped to 0.3 during the conditional movement-control order (CMCO) that took effect on May 4 from the 0.6 registered during the stricter MCO period.

He said: “Based on modelling… before the MCO, the infectivity rate, or R0, was 3.55, meaning one person could infect 3.55 others. When we implemented the MCO, we reduced the R0 to 0.6, and now, it is 0.3.”

Malaysia must not  be reckless like Mexico, which is the third highest country in the world in daily death toll but its President,  Andrés Manuel López Obrador has just again declared victory in its war against the pandemic and prepared to re-open the country.

A month ago, on April 26, with 1,351 deaths and 14,677 infections, the Mexican President  claimed it had managed “to tame” the coronavirus. A month after those claims, Mexico had suffered 9,415 deaths and 84,627 cases, and the President is again claiming victory, although the government admits the true number is probably considerably higher, with some experts saying its   double the number of deaths.

The latest news is that frontline workers in Mexico City’s hospitals are planning a national march tomorrow  to demand appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE). Nurses and other health workers account for about a quarter of all of Mexico’s coronavirus infections, government data shows, one of the highest rates in the world.

It is most ironic that the three  world leaders who mocked the gravity of  the coronavirus pandemic are leading the three countries which top the world in the number of daily Covid-19 confirmed deaths, viz President Donald Trump’s United States with a total death toll of 105,550 and 1,816,412 cases, President Jair Bolsonaro’s Brazil with a death toll of 28,834 and 498,440 cases; and President Lolpex Obrador’s Mexico with a death toll of 9,415 and 84,627 cases.

In the last 24 hours, these were the top three countries with daily  increase of Covid-19 deaths, viz, 1,008 for United States, 890 for Brazil and 371 for Mexico. The other top ten  countries with the highest daily toll in the last 24 hours  are United Kingdom (215 deaths), India (205), Russia (181), Peru (141), Italy (111), Canada (94) and  Pakistan (78).

That the severity of the Covid-19 pandemic, after five months, is still  getting worse could be seen from the fact that yesterday was third consecutive day when the daily increase of Covid-19 confirmed cases was the highest since the outbreak viz:

May 30 – 123,669 cases

May 29 – 125,511 cases

May 28 – 116,304 cases

The total increase of Covid-19 confirmed cases in the last two days, i.e. 249,180 is already more than the global total of Covid-19 confirmed cases when Malaysia imposed the movement control order (MCO) on March 18 – 218,910 cases.

When Malaysia imposed the MCO on March 18, United States, Brazil and Mexico were respectively, in terms of cumulative total of Covid-19 cases, ranked No. 6, 24 and 51, with 9,269, 529 and 93 Covd-19 cases respectively. Malaysia was then ranked No. 18 with 790 cases.

Now Malaysia is ranked No. 62 with 7,762 cases, while United States is No. 1 with more than 1.8 million cases, Brazil No. 2 with 498,440 cases and Mexico is No. 15 with 84,627 cases.

Mexico has even beaten China, which was the top country for Covid-19 cases for nearly three months, as China is now  ranked world’s No. 17 with 82,999 cases.

We must not learn from the reckless ones, who mock at the severity of the Covid-19 pandemic like Trump who at one time was talking away the pandemic and promising it would disappear “one day, like a miracle”.

We must learn from countries which have successfully contained the coronavirus, how they are alert to the possibility of a resurgence while forging ahead to re-open their economies, like China, South Korea, Taiwan,  Japan, Vietnam, Thailand, Australia, New Zealand.

It indeed a near miracle that China, for instance, is completing the testing of the entire population of 11 million in Wuhan in  two weeks to avoid a resurgence of Covid-19 infections.

We must shift the public narrative to the future, how Malaysians are to learn to live with the virus until a vaccine is developed and widely available, which may take two to five years, contain the disease and prevent any resurgence and most importantly,  to revive the national economy and social life at the quickest possible time.

When will the government declare Parliament as an essential service, end the lockdown of Parliament and allow MPs to perform their constitutional role of oversight and scrutiny of the Executive during the Covid-19 outbreak?

(Media Statement by DAP MP for Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang on Sunday, May 31, 2020)

                This entry was posted on Sunday, 31 May 2020, 11:14 am and is filed under
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Public trust and confidence in Malaysia shattered   by a government which is the worst  offender of “politicking ” although it is camouflaged as “doing national good”

Keyakinan dan kepercayaan awam tercalar oleh kerajaan yang kuat “berpolitik” sambil menyembunyikan perbuatan tersebut konon-kononnya demi “kepentingan negara”

Semalam, Parlimen Thailand telah meluluskan pakej sokongan ekonomi bernilai RM252 bilion untuk mengurangkan impak wabak Covid-19 kepada negara tersebut, termasuklah bantuan untuk para petani dan pekerja sektor tidak formal seperti penjaja jalanan dan mereka yang bekerja di rumah urut dan bar yang kini tidak dapat menjalankan perniagaan.

Seminggu lepas pula, Parlimen Singapura telah meluluskan belanjawan tambahan yang bernilai SGD33 bilion. Ini merupakan inisiatif khas untuk membantu para pekerja dan perniagaan yang berhadapan dengan kesan wabak Covid-19.

Belanjawan yang diperkenalkan sebagai Belanjawan Ketabahan (Fortitude Budget) ini adalah belanjawan keempat negara tersebut dalam tempoh empat bulan sejak pengumuman Belanjawan Perpaduan, Ketahanan, dan Solidariti sebelum ini, yang secara keseluruhannya berjumlah lebih daripada SGD100 bilion ataupun hampir 20 peratus KDNK Singapura — sebagai usaha membantu rakyat negara pulau tersebut dalam menghadapi wabak Covid-19.

Di Filipina, Dewan Rakyatnya masih bersidang, melalui kombinasi persidangan melalui video dan secara bersemuka sejak 23 Mac untuk meluluskan rang undang-undang yang yang diperlukan oleh kerajaan Filipina dalam melawan wabak ini. Satu Jawatankuasa Mengalahkan Covid-19 telah ditubuhkan dan jawatankuasa ini bermesyuarat melalui persidangan video sekurang-kurangnya dua kali seminggu.

Di Indonesia juga, Dewan Rakyat mereka terus bersidang seperti biasa dengan memberikan keutamaan kepada peraturan-peraturan yang berkaitan dengan penularan wabak Covid-19. Rang undang-undang menyemak semula undang-undang pengurusan bencana di negara tersebut telah diluluskan, yang memberikan kuasa lebih meluas kepada Badan Mitigasi Bencana Kebangsaan (BNPB) dan juga peningkatan kepada peruntukan pengurusan bencana kepada belanjawan negeri.

Hanya di Malaysia sahaja Parlimen dikunci, dengan Ahli Parlimen dihalang daripada menjalankan tanggungjawab mereka untuk menyemak imbang dan meneliti tindakan kerajaan sepanjang wabak Covid-19.

Walaupun negara kita berada di tempat pertama dari jumlah kes Covid-19 semasa perintah kawalan pergerakan (PKP) dilaksanakan pada 18 Mac (di mana Malaysia mencatatkan 790 kes, Indonesia 227 kes, dan Filipina 202 kes), kita akhirnya dipintas oleh Filipina pada 13 April apabila negara tersebut mencatatkan 4,932 kes berbanding dengan 4,817 kes di Malaysia. Indonesia memintas negara kedudukan Malaysia pada 15 April apabila negara tersebut mencatatkan 5,136 kes positif berbanding dengan 5,072 kes di Malaysia.

Hari ini, dengan hanya 7,819 kes, kita berada jauh di belakang Indonesia (26,472 kes) dan Filipina (18,086). Kita juga berada dalam kedudukan yang lebih baik dari segi kematian akibat Covid-19 dengan hanya 115 kematian, berbanding dengan 1,613 kematian di Indonesia dan 957 kematian di Filipina.

Bolehkah Perdana Menteri memberikan penjelasan mengapa Parlimen kita dikunci dan Ahli Parlimen dihalang daripada menjalankan tugas mereka dalam menyemak imbang dan meneliti tindakan kerajaan?

Di London, satu krisis politik sedang berlaku apabila tokoh kesihatan awam negara tersebut memberikan amaran kepada Perdana Menteri Boris Johnson yang menyatakan bahawa kepercayaan dan keyakinan terhadap kerajaan telah tercalar berikutan skandal yang disebabkan oleh Dominic Cummings dan perkara ini berpotensi untuk mendatangkan bahaya apabila kawalan pergerakan mula dilonggarkan minggu ini.

Cummings yang merupakan orang kanan Johnson telah mencetuskan skandal kebangsaan apabila beliau dilihat berada di Durham, 264 batu daripada rumah beliau di London sewaktu keseluruhan negara berada di bawah kawalan pergerakan dan beliau sedang mempunyai simptom jangkitan koronavirus.

Bagaimana pula dengan kepercayaan dan keyakinan terhadap kerajaan di Malaysia?

Tanpa menyentuh isu Langkah Sheraton, jelas dapat dilihat sekarang yang Perdana Menteri dan Kabinet pintu belakang ini adalah mereka yang paling kuat “berpolitik” disebalik cubaan mereka untuk menyorokkannya — dengan Perdana Menteri Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin yang mendakwa kononnya sejak beliau menjadi Perdana Menteri, tidak sekali pun beliau terfikir mengenai berpolitik kerana rakyat sudah “muak” dengan perkara tersebut.

Kini jelas, sejak menjadi Perdana Menteri pada 1 Mac, Muhyiddin tidak pernah berhenti daripada merancang dan berpolitik walaupun beliau sedar yang rakyat sudah “muak”.

Maka terjadilah hal “berpolitik” seperti berikut:

–  Penguncian Parlimen dan pelumpuhan tugas serta tanggungjawab Ahli Parlimen daripada menyemak imbang dan meneliti tindakan kerajaan, terutamanya semasa wabak Covid-19;

–  Perbuatan jenayah dalam menyogok Ahli Parlimen untuk memberikan sokongan melalui pemberian jawatan Menteri dan kedudukan di dalam GLC;

–  Penyalahgunaan kuasa, rasuah berleluasa, pengembalian kleptokrasi, dan pencabulan hak asasi manusia secara meluas; dan

–  Pembatalan keahlian Bersatu Tun Dr Mahathir, Mukhriz Mahathir, Maszlee Malik, Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman, dan Amiruddin Hamzah yang bertentangan dengan Perlembagaan parti.

Kesemua perbuatan ini hanya membuahkan satu hasil; memusnahkan kepercayaan dan keyakinan rakyat kepada kerajaan, terutamanya ketulusan kerajaan dalam melawan wabak Covid-19 dalam negara kita.

Adakah kerajaan akan memberikan penjelasan sejujurnya mengenai pendedahan rakaman audio berkenaan sogokan jawatan Menteri dan GLC?

Keyakinan dan kepercayaan awam dicalarkan oleh sebuah kerajaan yang kuat “berpolitik”, yang menyembunyikan perbuatan tersebut konon-kononnya demi “kepentingan negara”.

(Kenyataan Media Ahli Parlimen DAP Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang pada hari Isnin 1 Jun 2020)

==============================

Yesterday, the Thai Parliament passed a RM252 billion economic support package to ease the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, which included aid to farmers and informal workers such as street vendors and those employed in massage parlours and bars who have seen their work dry up.

A week ago, the Singapore Parliament passed a $S33 billion supplementary budget aimed primarily at helping workers and businesses to tide over the Covid-19 crisis and the bleak economic outlook ahead.

Called the Fortitude Budget, it is Singapore’s fourth Budget in less than four months after the earlier Unity, Resilience and Solidarity Budgets, totalling close to  $S100 billion – or nearly 20 per cent of GDP – to support Singaporeans in the battle against Covid-19 outbreak.

In the Philippines, the  House of Representatives has continued to sit, using a combination of remote and face-to-face meetings since 23 March to pass legislation to give the government the necessary tools to fight COVID-19. A parliamentary Defeat COVID-19 Committee has been set up and meets by videoconference at least twice a week.

In Indonesia, the House of Representatives continued to meet focussing on regulations related to  the Covid-19 outbreak, such as  endorsing a bill revising the Disaster Management Law, which will give more authority to the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) and increase the minimum budget allocation for disaster management in the state budget.

Only in Malaysia is the Parliament locked down, with Members of Parliament unable to perform their constitutional role to provide oversight and scrutiny of the Executive during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Although Malaysia was the leading nation in Southeast Asia in the number of Covid-19 infections when the movement control order (MCO) was imposed on  March 18 (when Malaysia had 790 cases, Indonesia 227 cases and Philippines 202 cases), we lost out to Philippines on April 13, when Philippines had a cumulative total of 4,932 infections  as compared to Malaysia’s 4,817 cases, and lost out to Indonesia on April 15, when Indonesia recorded a cumulative total of 5,136 cases as against Malaysia’s 5,072 cases.

Today, with 7,819 cases Malaysia is way behind Indonesia (26,473 cases) and Philippines (18,086 cases). We have also  done better in terms of Covid-19 deaths: Malaysia (115), Indonesia (1,613) and the Philippines (957).

Can the Prime Minister offer a rational reason why the Malaysian Parliament is  locked down and MPs prevented from carrying out their role of oversight and scrutiny of the Executive?

In London, a political crisis is developing with United Kingdom’s top public health leaders warning the British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, that trust in government had been shattered by the Dominic Commings affair and posed new danger to life when lockdown measures are lifted this week.

Cummings, Johnson’s top aide, has been embroiled in a scandal after he was seen in Durham, 264 miles from his London home, despite having had coronavirus symptoms.

What about public trust and confidence in government in Malaysia?

Without touching on the ignominous Sheraton Move, it is now clear that the backdoor Prime Minister and Cabinet are the worst offenders in “politicking” although camouflaged initially under very noble terms – with Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin claiming that since becoming Prime Minister, he  had had not thought about politics as the people were “sick” of it.

It is now  clear that since becoming Prime Minister on March 1, Muhyiddin had not stopped thinking about and acting on  politics although he knew that the people were  “sick” of it.

Hence the following “politicking”:

· The  lockup of Parliament and paralysis of MPs’ constitutional role of oversight and scrutiny of the Executive during the pandemic;

· Criminal acts of gratification to induce support by MPs through the enticement of Ministerships and GLC positions;

· Abuses of power, rampant corruption, revival of kleptocracy and widespread of human rights; and

· The unconstitutional “nullification” of the Bersatu membership of Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, Mukhriz Mahathir, Maszlee Malik, Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman and Amiruddin Hamzah.

All these acts have one result: the shattering of public trust and confidence in the government, especially with regards to its bona fides in the various aspects of the invisible war against Covid-19 outbreak.

Will the government come clean with  the surfacing of an audio-recording on the enticement of Ministerships and GLC positions?

Public trust and confidence in Malaysia has been  shattered   by a government which is the worst  offender of “politicking ” although it is camouflaged as “doing national good”!

(Media Statement by DAP MP for Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang on Monday, 1st June 2020)

                This entry was posted on Monday, 1 June 2020, 1:03 pm and is filed under
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