#kerajaangagal140 – Malaysia is the only country in the world to jump 50 ranks in less than eight months, i.e. from No. 85  on Nov. 18 to No. 35 at the end of this month  among countries with most cumulative total of Covid-19 cases – a shocking measure of the failure of the Malaysian war against Covid-19 pandemic

Malaysia is the only country in the world to jump 50 ranks  in less than eight months, i.e. from No. 85  on Nov. 18 to No. 35 at the end of this month  among countries with most cumulative total of Covid-19 cases – a shocking measure of the failure of the Malaysian war against Covid-19 pandemic.

At one time, Malaysia was some 50 positions behind China, the country where the pandemic first started and which had 40 times the population of Malaysia. By the end of this month, Malaysia is  likely to be 65 positions ahead of China.

I am shocked and find it unbelievable that there are still political and intellectual leaders  who regard Malaysia as a success in the handling of  the war against the Covid-19 pandemic.

As a result, there is no sense of urgency to deal with the devastation of the Covid-19 pandemic to the lives, economy and society in Malaysia although we are close to three-quarter of a million  Covid-19 cases and  would exceed 5,000 fatalities by the end of the month.

January 8, 2021 was described as the “darkest day” for Malaysia in the Covid-19 pandemic, when  Malaysia registered 2,643 new cases and 16 fatalities – the highest daily fatalities so far as the previous highest toll was  12 deaths on Nov. 3, 2020.

Instead of finding out what had gone wrong in its war against the Covid-19 epidemic and  introduce an “all-of-government” and “whole-of society” strategy and approach in the war against the Covid-19 pandemic,  the government proclaimed an emergency and suspended Parliament and the State Assemblies  – most foolish acts  which saw Malaysia going through many “darkest days” and  falling nearly 40 places  from the 72nd  rank  among nations with the most cumulative total of Covid-19 cases.

Yesterday, after a five-month emergency and two “total lockups”,  Malaysia had 5,308 cases and 81 deaths from Covid-19,  to reach cumulative total of 728,462 cases and 4,884 deaths as compared to 2,232 cases and four deaths when emergency was proclaimed on January 11 to secure a cumulative total of  138,224 Covid-19 cases and 555 Covid-19 deaths.

When it was first revealed that the “hybrid Parliament special committee” comprising among others the Dewan Rakyat Speaker Azhar Azizan Harun and Senate President Rais Yatim would meet on July 5, the questions in many minds is why so late and why the  two leading Parliamentary officers  were  utterly without a sense of urgency!

Then there was the report that the Yang di Pertuan Agong has requested an audience with Dewan Rakyat Speaker and the  Dewan Negara President Rais Yatim next Tueday probably about the opening of Parliament.

The Cabinet meeting next Wednesday (30th June) is the last opportunity for Malaysia  to avoid a full-blown constitutional crisis, by observing both the spirit and letter of the Malaysian Constitution as well as fulfilling the two conclusions of the Conference of Rulers special meeting on June 16, viz: that Parliament and the State Assemblies convene “as soon as possible” and that there is no need to extend the emergency beyond August 1, 2021.

Let not the bloated Muhyiddin  Cabinet demonstrate that it could not pass a simple intelligence test as to the meaning of “as soon as possible” – when even primary school students would know that it means that Parliament should meet before August 1, 2021 and not an indefinite future spread to September, October or even later.

By the time of the Cabinet meeting next Wednesday, it is still possible to convene Parliament with the requisite 28-notice before August 1, 2021.

The Muhyiddin Cabinet must bear full responsibility for the constitutional crisis it could avoid if it acts timely on Wednesday.

There must be a new start to the war against Covid-19 pandemic where all political and other differences are temporarily put aside so that the country can win the war against the coronavirus to save lives, livelihoods and the country’s economic future.

I have called for a one or two years of  political moratorium and a “Win the War Against Covid-19 Pandemic” (WACOP) coalition  to save the country from the devastation in lives, economic losses and societal damages of the pandemic.

We must find the political will and ingenuity  to remove all factors which undermine the national objective to reverse the tides of defeat and win the war against the Covid-19 pandemic.

(Media Statement by DAP MP for Iskandar Puteri in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday, June 27, 2021)

                This entry was posted on Sunday, 27 June 2021, 7:57 am and is filed under
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#kerajaangagal141 – Replace the National Recovery Plan with a new strategy to win the war against Covid-19 pandemic

The National Recovery Plan hurriedly  announced by the Prime Minister, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin on 15th June on the eve of the Conference of Rulers special meeting is not one which can win the war against the Covid-19 pandemic.

This is clear from the failure of the six-month emergency declared on January 11, 2021 and the extended “total lockdowns” ending tomorrow June 28 with the Prime Minister just announcing that the first phase of the National Recovery Plan continues until the threshold of less than 4,000 cases a day is reached.

Realising the unpopularity of his announcement, Muhyddihn has dispensed with a live national telecast!

But his announcement raised a number of questions.

He said on June 15 that the government will consider shifting into phase two of the plan if:

·        Average daily Covid-19 cases fall below 4,000

·        The healthcare system is no longer at a critical stage, with ICU bed usage returning to moderate levels

·        10% of the population has received two doses of Covid-19 vaccines

Firstly, is the transition to Phase Two  now based on one criteria of the threshold of less than 4,000 cases or the three criteria still apply.

Secondly, is it 4,000 cases on one day, or an average daily Covid-19 cases – is it the rolling average  for one week or two weeks.

Of course, there will be the cynic who will say that the threshold of less than 4,000 cases a day can be reached by less testing – when in fact, Malaysia needs more testing of Covid-19 cases!

Does this also  mean that the Cabinet wants to push back further the convening of Parliament – well after September or October?

What is clear however is that a new start and a new  strategy is needed in the war against Covid-19 pandemic, and I am convinced  if the best minds of the country are fully utilised, there is no reason for Malaysia to top the world as one of the worst performing nations in the Covid-19 pandemic.

The question is whether the Muhyiddin government is ready for a new start in the war against Covid-19 pandemic.

I have called for the  creation of conditions to win the war against Covid-19 pandemic, which includes (i) a national mobilisation; (ii) restore public trust and confidence; (iii)  economic stimulus packages to help the poor and vulnerable sectors; (iv) effective and efficient Find-Test-Trace-Isolate-Support (FTTIS) strategy;  and (v) accelerate national vaccination rollout.

It is tragic that after 18 months after  fighting the war against the Covid-19 pandemic, none of these five pre-conditions for a win in the war against Covid-19 pandemic are fully present.

I am suggesting that the National Recovery Plan should be replaced with a new Covid-19 war strategy because of its many weaknesses and even  failure to take into account the  views of the Prime Minister’s own special advisor on public health, Dr. Jemilah Mahmood who  said a week after Muhyiddin announced the National Recovery Plan that Covid-19 is likely to become endemic as mentioned by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and that a different approach may be required to tackle it.

What is most deplorable and reprehensible is the racial attitude in the war against Covid-19 pandemic, like the proposal  by the Malaysian Public Health Physicians’ Association (PPPKAM)  which suggested that the government should consider hiring new medical officers along racial lines.

This has rightly provoked a strong reaction from the Malaysian Medical Association rejecting this racist approach as if Covid-19 decides to infect people based on race.

The stand  of the Health Minister, Adham Baba, approving the PPPKAM position must be condemned in no uncertain terms, especially coming from a doctor who proposed “warm water” cure for Covid-19 cases.

I call on the Cabinet to fully endorse the position by the MMA president Dr Subramaniam Muniandy rejecting that racial and religious criteria be used to influence the appointment of medical officers for permanent service as firstly, such talents come in all races, religion, creeds, ethnicities and gender and secondly, the government of Malaysia should lead the way in uniting the rakyat in a plural society and not sow discord amongst its working professionals.

(Media Statement (2) by DAP MP for Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang in Kuala Lumpur on Sudnay, June 27, 2021)

                This entry was posted on Sunday, 27 June 2021, 1:58 pm and is filed under
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#kerajaangagal142 – Parliament must become a War Parliament against Covid-19 Pandemic to assist the Executive, which had been fighting a losing battle this year

(Tatal ke bawah untuk kenyataan versi BM)

I am surprised that the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Parliament), Takiyuddin Hassan, still insists that Parliament cannot convene so long as emergency is in effect.

This is against Section 14(1) of the Emergency (Essential Powers) Ordinance 2021, which states:

“14 (1) For as long as the emergency is in force –

(a) …

(b) The Parliament shall be summoned, prorogued and dissolved on a date as the Yang di Pertuan Agong thinks appropriate.”

It is as clear as crystal from this section in the Emergency Ordinance that Parliament can be convened “for as long as the emergency is in force”, and Takiyuddin has only himself to blame if the overwhelming majority of thinking Malaysians wonder that type of a de facto law Minister we have got in the country.

The Yang di Pertuan Agong is right when he said on Feb. 24 after meeting Dewan Negara speaker Rais Yatim and Dewan Rakyat speaker Azhar Azizan Harun that Parliament sitting can convene during the emergency order.

The Comptroller of the Royal Household Ahmad Fadil Shamsuddin said the king has stated his view to Rais and Azhar that Parliament can resume on a date deemed suitable by the ruler upon the advice of the prime minister.

The Yang di Pertuan Agong referred to subparagraph 14(1)(b) of the Emergency (Essential Powers) Ordinance 2021 which states that Parliament should be called, prorogued and dissolved on a date as deemed appropriate by His Majesty on the advice of the prime minister.

This is not the first time that the de facto Law Minister had perversely disagreed with the Yang di Pertuan Agong. Takiyuddin also gave a ridiculous interpretation to the phrase “as soon as possible” to mean September, October or indefinitely when the Yang di Pertuan Agong after the Conference of Rulers special meeting on June 16 asked for Parliament to be convened “as soon as possible”.

Is Takiyuddin fit to be a Law Minister?

I am surprised that the Attorney-General, Idris Harun, could agree to the Emergency (Essential Powers) Ordinance 2021 which suspended Parliament, and the Parliament Speaker, Azhar Azizan Harun, could agree that Parliament be suspended by the Emergency (Essential Powers) Ordinance 2021 as many lawyers and constitutional experts are of the opinion that the suspension of Parliament goes against the very grain of the Malaysian Constitution and the system of governance founded on a constitutional monarchy based on parliamentary democracy.

I agree that any interpretation of the Constitution must adhere strictly to the principle that Malaysia is a constitutional monarchy based on a parliamentary democracy.

Idris Harun had issued a long statement justifying his stand that the law requires the Cabinet to advise the Yang di Pertuan Agong on when to convene Parliament.

Is he prepared to similarly justify his stand that Parliament could be suspended during an emergency?

Just as Idris Harun had made a serious error of judgement and law in advising the Prime Minister that Parliament can be suspended in an emergency, the Speaker of Parliament, Azhar Azizan Harun had made a serious error of judgement, law and parliamentary practice in not protesting to the Prime Minister about the unconstitutional suspension of Parliament by the emergency.

The Cabinet at its meeting on Wednesday has the last opportunity to make amends by observing both the spirit and letter of the Malaysian Constitution as well as fulfilling the two conclusions of the Conference of Rulers special meeting on June 16, viz: that Parliament and the State Assemblies convene “as soon as possible” and that there is no need to extend the emergency beyond August 1, 2021.

This is because it is still possible to convene Parliament with the requisite 28-notice before August 1, 2021 if the Cabinet decides on Wednesday, 30th June, to convene Parliament.

The Muhyiddin Cabinet must bear all responsibility for a full-blown constitutional crisis if it decides otherwise on Wednesday.

There must be a new start to the war against Covid-19 pandemic where all political and other differences are temporarily put aside so that the country can win the war against the coronavirus to save lives, livelihoods and the country’s economic future.

The National Recovery Plan hurriedly announced by the Prime Minister on 15th June on the eve of the Conference of Rulers special meeting is not one which can win the war against the Covid-19 pandemic.

This is illustrated by the last-minute decision to further extend the “total lockdown” of the nation until the threshold of less than 4,000 cases a day under Phase One of the exit plan is reached and the summary fashion of its announcement instead of through a live national telecast.

At the current rate of Covid-19 pandemic in Malaysia, we are likely to be ranked No. 35 among nations with the most cumulative total of Covid-19 cases by the end of June in three days’ time.

Malaysia will then have the dubious distinction as the only country in the world to jump 50 ranks in less than eight months, i.e. from No. 85 on Nov. 18 to No. 35 at the end of this month among countries with most cumulative total of Covid-19 cases – a shocking measure of the failure of the Malaysian war against Covid-19 pandemic.

Parliament must be immediately reconvened and transformed to become a War Parliament against Covid-19 Pandemic to assist the Executive, which had been fighting a losing battle this year.

From January 1st this year till yesterday, there had been 618,970 Covid-19 cases and 4,470 Covid-19 deaths. How many more people will die before the end of Covid-19 pandemic?

The Prime Minister has failed to deliver his promise in his 2021 New Year Message to “strengthen Malaysia’s position on the world stage”.#

It is most ironic that despite such a pledge, Malaysia has suddenly catapulted to become the world’s worst state in handling the Covid-19 pandemic.

Let us have one or two years of political moratorium and a “Win the War Against Covid-19 Pandemic” (WACOP) coalition in Parliament to save the country from the devastation in lives, economic losses and societal damages of the pandemic.

We must find the political will and ingenuity to remove all factors which undermine the national objective to reverse the tides of defeat and win the war against the Covid-19 pandemic.

As a start, let us have a hands-on and effective Health Minister as it is most ridiculous for Malaysia to fight the invisible but lethal war against the Covid-19 pandemic with a “dud” Health Minister.

Adham Baba had disabled himself from being an effective Health Minister with his “warm water” cure for Covid-19 gaffe in March last year, compounded by his rare ability to be prone to gaffes, as when early this month, he made the h blooper comparing Malaysia to UK on Covid-19 deaths when for that past week, Malaysia’s Covid-19 deaths was 11 times that of United Kingdom!

Adham is in trouble again and Health Ministry secretary-general has to come to his rescue for endorsing a most racial approach for the appointment of medical officers as well as discriminatory practices based on race.

There must also be extensive parliamentary reforms to enable Parliament to play its proper role as a War Parliament against the Covid-19 pandemic.

Finally, Parliament should finalise a more proper Covid-19 exit plan than the National Recovery Plan announced by the Prime Minister on June 15.

(Media Statement by DAP MP for Iskandar Puteri in Kuala Lumpur on Monday, June 28, 2021)

#kerajaangagal142 — Parlimen perlu menjadi Parlimen Perang dalam melawan wabak Covid-19 untuk membantu pihak Eksekutif yang sedang bertarung dalam perang yang mereka sedang kalah dalam tahun ini

Saya terkejut yang Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri (Hal Ehwal Undang-undang dan Parlimen), Takiyuddin Hassan, masih menekankan yang Parlimen tidak boleh bersidang selagi mana darurat berkuat kuasa.

Perkara ini bertentangan dengan Seksyen 14(1) Ordinan Darurat (Kuasa-kuasa Perlu) 2021 yang menyatakan”

“14(1) Bagi tempoh darurat berkuat kuasa —

(a) …

(b) Parlimen hendaklah dipanggil, diprorog dan dibubarkan pada suatu tarikh sebagaimana yang difikirkan sesuai oleh Yang di-Pertuan Agong.”

Jelas daripada peruntukan seksyen Ordinan Darurat ini yang Parlimen boleh dipanggil bersidang “selagi mana darurat berkuat kuasa”, dan Takiyuddin hanya boleh menyalahkan dirinya sendiri sekiranya seluruh negara mempersoalkan apa jenis Menteri Hal Ehwal Undang-undang yang kita sedang ada ini.

Seri Paduka Baginda Yang di Pertuan Agong tepat apabila baginda menitahkan pada 24 Februari selepas bermesyuarat dengan Yang di Pertua Dewan Negara, Rais Yatim, dan Yang di Pertua Dewan Rakyat, Azhar Azizan Harun, bahawa persidangan Parlimen boleh dipanggil semasa penguatkuasaan darurat.

Datuk Pengelola Bijaya Diraja, Ahmad Fadil Shamsuddin mengatakan yang Yang di Pertuan Agong telah menyatakan pendapat baginda kepada Rais dan Azhar bahawa Parlimen boleh bersidang semula pada tarikh yang difikirkan sesuai oleh baginda selepas dinasihati oleh Perdana Menteri.

Yang di Pertuan Agong telah merujuk kepada subperenggan 14(1)(b) Ordinan Darurat (Kuasa-kuasa Perlu) 2021 yang menyatakan Parlimen patut dipanggil bersidang, diprorog, atau dibubarkan pada suatu tarikh yang difikirkan perlu oleh baginda atas nasihat Perdana Menteri.

Ini bukanlah kali pertama menteri hal ehwal undang-undang cuba untuk menyalah tafsir apa yang dikatakan oleh Yang di Pertuan Agong. Takiyuddin juga telah memberikan tafsiran yang tidak masuk akal kepada frasa “secepat mungkin” untuk memberi makna kepada bulan September, Oktober, atau bila-bila masa sahaja sedangkan mesyuarat khas Majlis Raja-raja pada 16 Jun secara jelas menitahkan supaya Parlimen bersidang semula “secepat mungkin”.

Adakah Takiyuddin ini sesuai untuk menjadi menteri undang-undang?

Saya terkejut dengan Peguam Negara, Idris Harun yang bersetuju bahawa Ordinan Darurat (Kuasa-kuasa Perlu) 2021 menggantung sidang Parlimen, dan terkejut dengan Yang di Pertua Dewan Rakyat, Azhar Azizan Harun yang bersetuju bahawa Parlimen digantung sidangnya dengan Ordinan ini sedangkan ramai peguam dan pakar perlembagaan berpendapat bahawa penggantungan sidang Parlimen bertentangan dengan asas utama Perlembagaan Malaysia dan sistem pentadbiran kita yang diasaskan kepada sistem raja berperlembagaan yang berteraskan demokrasi berparlimen.

Saya setuju bahawa mana-mana tafsiran Perlembagaan perlulah berlandaskan prinsip raja berperlembagaan yang berteraskan demokrasi berparlimen.

Idris Harun telah mengeluarkan satu kenyataan yang panjang yang memberikan justifikasi kepada pendirian beliau bahawa undang-undang di negara kita memerlukan Kabinet untuk menasihati Yang di Pertuan Agong mengenai bila Parlimen boleh dipanggil bersidang semula.

Adakah beliau bersedia untuk mempertahankan pendirian beliau mengenai sama ada Parlimen boleh digantung semasa darurat?

Seperti mana Idris Harun telah membuat kesilapan serius dari segi prinsip undang-undang apabila menasihati Perdana Menteri dengan mengatakan yang Parlimen boleh digantung semasa darurat, Yang Di Pertua Dewan Rakyat, Azhar Azizan Harun juga telah membuat kesilapan besar dari segi perundangan dan amalan parlimen apabila beliau tidak membantah keputusan Perdana Menteri untuk menggantung sidang Parlimen ini.

Mesyuarat Kabinet pada hari Rabu ini adalah peluang terakhir kerajaan untuk menghormati semangat perlembagaan negara dan merealisasikan hasrat mesyuarat khas Majlis Raja-raja dengan memanggil sidang Parlimen secepat mungkin. Masih terdapat cukup waktu untuk notis selama 28 hari bagi memanggil sidang Parlimen sebelum 1 Ogos 2021 sekiranya kabinet memutuskan untuk memanggil sidang pada 30 Jun.

Kabinet Muhyiddin perlu bertanggungjawab sepenuhnya ke atas krisis perlembagaan yang berlaku sekiranya mereka memutuskan sebaliknya pada hari Rabu.

Harus ada permulaan baharu dalam perang melawan Covid-19 di mana semua perbezaan politik dan lain-lain diketepikan buat sementara waktu sehingga negara kita dapat menang dalam perang melawan wabak ini untuk menyelamatkan nyawa, punca pendapatan dan masa depan ekonomi negara.

Pelan Pemulihan Negara tergesa-gesa diumumkan oleh Perdana Menteri pada 15 Jun pada hari sebelum mesyuarat khas Majlis Raja-Raja bukanlah satu perkara yang boleh membawa kemenangan dalam perang melawan Covid-19.

Perkara ini dapat dilihat daripada keputusan saat akhir untuk melanjutkan “sekatan pergerakan” dalam negara sehingga kadar kita mencapai kadar ambang di bawah 4,000 kes sehari di bawah Fasa 1 Pelan Pemulihan Negara.

Pada kadar penularan semasa Covid-19 dalam negara, kita akan berada di tempat ke-35 dengan jumlah kes terkumpul dalam masa tiga hari lagi di mana kita akan mencapai rekod buruk melonjak 50 anak tangga daripada tempat ke-85 ke tempat ke-35 dapat tempoh lapan bulan.

Parlimen perlu bersidang semula segera dan diubah menjadi Parlimen Perang untuk melawan wabak Covid-19.

Sejak 1 Januari awal tahun ini, kita telah mencatatkan 618,970 kes dan 4,470 kematian. Berapa ramai lagi yang perlu mati di negara kita sebelum wabak ini dapat dikawal?

Perdana Menteri telah gagal untuk menepati janjinya dalam Mesej Tahun Baru 2021 beliau untuk “mengukuhkan kedudukan Malaysia di pentas dunia”.

Perkara ini amatlah ironi, kerana dengan janji sebegitu, negara kita memecut menjadi negara dengan pengendalian Covid-19 yang terburuk di dunia.

Marilah kita adalah moratorium politik selama setahun atau dua dan membentuk gagasan memerangi Covid-19 di Parlimen untuk menyelamatkan negara daripada kemusnahan.

Kita perlu mencari iltizam politik untuk mengetepikan semua faktor yang menghalang usaha untuk mencari kemenangan dalam melawan wabak ini. Sebagai permulaan, marilah kita cari seorang Menteri Kesihatan yang berkesan, kerana Menteri Kesihatan yang ada sekarang ini tidak dapat dilihat dalam usaha negara untuk memerangi wabak Covid-19.

Adham Baba telah melumpuhkan dirinya daripada menjadi seorang Menteri Kesihatan yang efektif dengan pelbagai kesilapan bodohnya tahun lepas. Beliau sekali lagi mencari masalah apabila beliau menyokong pendekatan perkauman dalam pelantikan pegawai perubatan sehingga Ketua Setiausaha Kementerian Kesihatan terpaksa menyelamatkan keadaan.

Kita perlu mempunyai reformasi menyeluruh Parlimen untuk membolehkan Parlimen memainkan peranannya sebagai Parlimen Perang dalam melawan wabak Covid-19.

Akhirnya, Parlimen juga perlu membentangkan rancangan keluar daripada wabak Covid-19 yang lebih bersesuaian berbanding dengan Pelan Pemulihan Negara yang diumumkan oleh Perdana Menteri pada 15 Jun.

(Kenyataan Media Ahli Parlimen DAP Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang di Kuala Lumpur pada hari Isnin, 28 Jun 2021)

                This entry was posted on Monday, 28 June 2021, 8:19 am and is filed under
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#kerajaangagal143 – Time to  craft  a new Covid-19  strategy based co-existence  with the new coronavirus as the current Covid-19 strategy has failed

With the extension of the 28-day “total lockdown” from today, the first phase of the National Recovery Plan continues until the threshold of less than 4,000 cases a day is reached.

When will this be?

More and more Malaysians are asking as to how scientific and data-driven are the thresholds that have been set for the National Recovery Plan to move from one phase to the other.

It has been 28 days since total lockdown started. Covid-19 should have subsided significantly if one considers its 10-14-day incubation period.

On Day One (D1) of total  lockdown, there were 7,105 new cases and 71 deaths. On D27 yesterday, there were 5,586 new cases and 60 deaths.  On D1, the active cases were 80,747 and as of yesterday on D27, the active cases were 61,395. The numbers refer to the total number of people who tested positive and being held “captive” at home, isolation centres or hospitals.

On D1, 100,885 tests were done and as of yesterday, D27, the number of tests dropped by 33.3% (66,969 tests done).

These numbers provide little value as it is dependent on the number of tests being done, the three-day lag for the result to come out and the target locations where the tests are being done.

The Health Ministry  also use another index called R0 (R nought). This index is dependent on several factors. They are, the infectious period (10-14 day average,) contact rate (which lockdown reduces contact rate) and mode of transmission (mask, face shield and social distancing reduce the airborne transmission) and ability to be infected (vaccinations) and the success is computed based on outcome monitoring (hospitalization etc).

Though the Health Ministry  indicates the R0 has reduced, but public trust is lacking because of the lower testing being done.

Community activist, Dr. Mohamad Rafick Khan  commented on his blog that the  recent announcement by the government using the “Phases of The National Recovery Plan” (NRP) as an indicator is aimed at addressing the population psychological impact as the people are affected with depressive news daily.

He said: “The progressive phases are  meant to give people a sense of hope rather than being dumped with a sense of despair and loss of hope. It doesn’t mean the way KKM (Health Ministry) approach managing the epidemic has changed. It just means that the government is changing the way it communicates with people i.e. either a glass being half-filled or half empty.”

Dr. Rafick is of the view that from  a cost-benefit analysis (CBA), the current strategy is too costly and yield insignificant results to abate the spread of the virus.

He advocated a change of the Covid-19 strategy towards one co-existing with the virus and instead  of reporting from the  perspectives of  “Daily new case” or “Total Active Case”, he suggested reporting the situation based on the outcome by using a 3-class concept (Class A: stage 1 & 2; Class B: stage 3 & 4 and  Class C – stage 5 and Death related to Covid-19).

The outcome-based classification will tell Malaysians  the severity of the infection and allow the planning  on the usage of hospitalization resources.

He suggested: “While these are monitoring indicators, we need to ramp up the vaccination and use the EMCO strategy in high-risk zones. Vaccines need to be distributed based on medical risk assessment and not based on political policies. The state and the Federal governments must learn to work together as partners and not as ‘masters and slaves’”.

Dr. Rafick is of the view that the current principle of over-relying on lockdown doesn’t work and a new Covid-19 strategy is needed.

He said: “Four weeks of lockdown has not yielded the desired effects. Lockdown is punishing the population mental state. Temperature is rising that may affect people’s  behaviour. Suicides though formally not reported are rising. Risk-based identification and containment measure must be enhanced. It must be done based on activities and location using medical knowledge and science. Failing to do this, the situation will never change. We must now accept that having zero infection is not possible and feasible.”

Another medical specialist has suggested an alternative approach.

He said that the criteria under the National Recovery Plan are “too soft” and can be easily manipulated,  using punishment to drive objectives.

He suggested the opening up of the “political space” to use states to achieve the objectives.

He suggested: “Those states that do well, open earlier and progress. Those states who do nothing then get held back longer. This is the carrot approach.

“States must work with the Federal Government  and there must be an independent adjudication committee.

“ We must begin to consider livelihood issues.”

He proposes  a Healthcare Index for Phase One where the three conditions to be complied to transition to Phase Two are: 125 cases per million population, moderate ICU use and 10% of the population vaccinated; and an Economic Index where there are less than 10 workplace clusters and 10% workers vaccinated.

The Federal Government should also give a commitment of fair vaccine distribution to all sates, the involvement of all GPs in the national vaccination rollout and allow doctors to use whatever is safe to treat patients like all the therapeutics.

It is time that both the Executive and the Legislature should set up a mechanism to craft a successful Covid-19 strategy to win the war against the Covid-19 pandemic.

(Media Statement (2) by DAP MP for Iskandar Puteri in Kuala Lumpur on Monday, June 28, 2021)

                This entry was posted on Monday, 28 June 2021, 1:56 pm and is filed under
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#kerajaangagal144 –  It’s the  height of international humiliation when Muhyiddin was announcing RM150 billion Pemulih package on live telecast, Bloomberg was broadcasting to the world that  Malaysia has fallen to a catastrophic 51st position in the June 2021 Bloomberg Covid Resilience Ranking

(Tatal ke bawah untuk kenyataan versi BM)

It’s the height of international humiliation that when the Prime Minister, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin was announcing the RM150 billion PEMULIH package on live national telecast, Bloomberg was broadcasting to the world that Malaysia has fallen to a catastrophic 51st position in the June 2021 Bloomberg Covid Resilience Ranking out of 53 economies of more than US$200 billion.

In January this year, when emergency was declared on January 11 to combat the Covid-19 pandemic, we were ranked No. 16 in the January 2021 Bloomberg Covid Resilience Ranking.

After five months of emergency and 28 days of total lockdowns, we have fallen 35 rungs to the 51st rank in the June 2021 Bloomberg Covid Resilience Ranking.

There cannot be a more damning judgement of the dismal failure of the Muhyiddin government in the war against the Covid-19 pandemic in the last six months.

Now we are even worse than Brazil, Peru, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Colombia, Indonesia and India and only better than Philippines and Argentina.

Even more shocking, the top ten countries are headed by United States, which for more than year has been regarded as the worst nation in the Covid-19 pandemic with a cumulative total of 34.5 million Covid-19 cases and 619,582 Covid-19 deaths, followed by New Zealand (2), Switzerland (3), Israel (4), France (5), Spain (6), Australia (7), China (8), United Kingdom (9) and South Korea (10).

Other Asian countries ranked are Singapore (13), Japan (23), Hong Kong (30), Thailand (39), Vietnam (40), and Taiwan (44).

As Bloomberg said: “Almost a year and a half into the pandemic, the best and worst places to be in the Covid-19 era are increasingly defined by one thing: normalization.

“The biggest vaccination drive in history is enabling parts of the globe to abolish mask mandates, relax restrictions and dismantle border curbs, making the magnitude of reopening key to quality of life. Taming cases and deaths was once paramount, along with ensuring a robust health-care system. Now, the ability to essentially turn back the clock and return to pre-pandemic times is taking on an even greater significance.

“Central to that is an economy’s openness to the world, and that’s why we’ve introduced a new element —Reopening Progress — to Bloomberg’s Covid Resilience Ranking. Two new metrics capture the ease of moving in and out of a place and how much air travel has recovered, alongside our 10 other measures tracking mortality rates to infection counts, freedom of movement to economic growth.”

We are among the top nations in the world in two matters: Covid-19 cases per million of population and number of Cabinet Ministers per million of population – and the pernicious correlation of these two measures have landed Malaysia in a most unenviable position.

Yesterday, we passed the 5,000-mark for Covid-19 deaths when for the whole of last year, 471 people died of Covid-19.

Where can Muhyiddin hide his face in the international arena?

Will Muhyiddin’s RM150 billion Pemulih package be the silver bullet to end the Covid-19 pandemic in Malaysia and put the country on the road to recovery?

Even Muhyiddih does not believe so, as the daily number of new Covid-19 cases had not fallen below 4,464 cases since 17th May, although there had been a sharp drop in testings.

Two economists, Dr. Paolo Casadio and Dr. Geoffrey Williams have grave reservations, as they believe that apart from RM150 billion being “a headline-grabbing figure”, the direct injections from the government are only around 6.7% of the headline figure as more than half of it are funded by the people themselves. Or to use their own words, “the rakyat are paying out of their own pockets for the lockdowns”.

The old strategy in the war against Covid-19 pandemic has failed and it is time for both the Executive and Parliament to craft a new and effective Covid-19 strategy to win the war against the Covid-19 pandemic.

This is why the Cabinet tomorrow should rise up to the occasion to resolve to convene Parliament before August 1 to spearhead a “Win the War of Covid-19 Pandemic” coalition.

Malaysia deserves no less.

(Media Statement by DAP MP for Iskandar Puteri in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday, June 29, 2021)

#kerajaangagal144 – Amat memalukan – ketika Muhyiddin mengumumkan pakej PEMULIH berjumlah RM150 bilion secara langsung semalam, Bloomberg melaporkan kepada dunia bahawa Malaysia telah jatuh ke tangga ke-51 dalam Bloomberg Covid Resilience Ranking untuk bulan Jun 2021

Amat memalukan – ketika Perdana Menteri Muhyiddin Yassin mengumumkan pakej PEMULIH berjumlah RM150 billion secara langsung semalam, Bloomberg melaporkan kepada dunia bahawa Malaysia telah jatuh ke tangga ke-51 daripada 53 negara dengan nilai ekonomi berjumlah lebih AS$200 bilion dalam Bloomberg Covid Resilience Ranking untuk bulan Jun 2021.

Januari tahun ini, semasa darurat diisytiharkan pada 11 Januari dengan alasan untuk melawan Covid-19, kita berada di kedudukan ke-16 dalam Bloomberg Covid Resilience Ranking untuk bulan Januari 2021.

Selepas lima bulan darurat dan 28 hari sekatan pergerakan penuh, kita telah jatuh 35 anak tangga ke tangga ke-51 dalam carta terkini untuk bulan Jun 2021

Tidak ada keputusan yang lebih memalukan atas kegagalan teruk kerajaan Muhyiddin dalam perang melawan Covid-19 sejak enam bulan lalu.

Kini, kita lebih teruk daripada Brazil, Peru, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Colombia, Indonesia serta India dan sedikit lebih baik berbanding Filipina dan Argentina.

Lebih mengejutkan, sepuluh negara teratas yang didahului oleh Amerika Syarikat, yang selama lebih dari satu tahun dianggap sebagai negara terburuk dalam menguruskan pandemik Covid-19 dengan jumlah kumulatif kes Covid-19 sebanyak 34.5 juta dan 619,582 kematian akibat wabak itu, diikuti oleh New Zealand (2), Switzerland (3), Israel (4), Perancis (5), Sepanyol (6), Australia (7), China (8), United Kingdom (9) dan Korea Selatan (10).

Negara-negara Asia lain yang tersenarai adalah Singapura (13), Jepun (23), Hong Kong (30), Thailand (39), Vietnam (40), dan Taiwan (44).

Bloomberg melaporkan: “Hampir satu setengah tahun wabak ini berlarutan, kedudukan terbaik dan terburuk dalam era Covid-19 semakin jelas ditentukan oleh satu perkara: normalisasi.

“Program vaksinasi terbesar dalam sejarah membolehkan sebahagian negara menarik balik peraturan memakai pelitup muka, melonggarkan sekatan dan membuka sempadan… Mengawal kenaikan kes dan kematian yang pernah satu ketika dulu mencanak naik, sekaligus memastikan sistem penjagaan kesihatan yang utuh. Kini, kemampuan untuk memutarkan balik masa dan kembali ke zaman pra-pandemik menjadi suatu perkara yang semakin penting.

“Menjadi teras utama kepada perkara ini adalah keterbukaan ekonomi kepada dunia, dan itulah sebabnya kami memperkenalkan elemen baru – Kemajuan Pembukaan Semula – untuk Covid Resilience Ranking Bloomberg. Dua ukuran baru yang mencerap tahap kemudahan pergerakan keluar masuk dari satu tempat ke satu tempat dan berapa banyak perjalanan melalui udara yang telah pulih, disamping 10 langkah lain yang mengesan kadar kematian hingga ke jumlah jangkitan, kebebasan bergerak hingga ke pertumbuhan ekonomi.”

Kita sebaris dengan negara-negara teratas di dunia dalam dua kategori: jumlah kes Covid-19 per sejuta penduduk dan jumlah Menteri per sejuta penduduk – dan hubung kait antara kedua-dua ukuran ini telah menyebabkan Malaysia terhimpit dalam situasi buruk seperti sekarang.

Semalam, kita melepasi angka 5,000 untuk kes kematian berkaitan Covid-19 berbanding 471 kes sepanjang tahun lalu.

Di manakah Muhyiddin hendak sorokkan mukanya di persada antarabangsa?

Adakah pakej Pemulih bernilai RM150 bilion Muhyiddin akan menjadi penawar ajaib untuk menamatkan era Covid-19 di Malaysia, sekaligus meletakkan negara ini ke landasan pemulihan?

Muhyiddin sendiri tidak yakin, kerana jumlah kes Covid-19 baharu setiap hari tidak menurun di bawah paras 4,464 kes sejak 17 Mei, walaupun kadar pelaksanaan ujian saringan turun dengan mendadak.

Dua ahli ekonomi, Dr. Paolo Casadio dan Dr. Geoffrey Williams menyifatkan jumlah RM150 bilion Pemulihan yang diumumkan Muhyiddin semalam hanya sekadar gimik untuk menjadi penyedap tajuk berita. Menurut mereka, suntikan langsung daripada kerajaan hanyalah sebanyak 6.7% daripada jumlah yang diumumkan kerana lebih separuh daripada bantuan yang diumumkan kerajaan sebenarnya dibiayai daripada wang simpanan rakyat.

Strategi lama yang digunakan dalam perang melawan Covid-19 tidak berkesan dan sudah tiba masanya untuk pihak Eksekutif serta Parlimen merangka strategi yang baru dan berkesan untuk memenangi perang melawan wabak ini.

Inilah sebabnya mengapa Kabinet yang bermesyuarat esok harus memutuskan untuk mengadakan sidang Parlimen sebelum 1 Ogos untuk menerajui gabungan “Menang Perang Melawan Pandemik Covid-19”.

(Kenyataan Media Ahli Parlimen DAP Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang di Kuala Lumpur pada hari Selasa, 29 Jun 2021)

                This entry was posted on Tuesday, 29 June 2021, 10:13 am and is filed under
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#kerajaangagal145 – The whole Cabinet should resign if it continues to show  indifference and lack of seriousness about the Covid-19 pandemic and allow outstanding grievances of  contract doctors to fester into Code Black and hartal events

(Tatal ke bawah untuk kenyataan versi BM)

It is heart-rending to read of the plight of the contract doctors. One of them wrote:

“I do not have job security and my future appears bleak. Because of the fact that I am not a Permanant Medical Officer, my contract may not be renewed at the whim of my employer (Ministry of Health, Malaysia) and I do not have a chance to further my studies to specialise in a Masters program.

“During this pandemic, most of the frontline doctors that the public come into contact are Contract Medical Officers. We risk our own health while donned in stuffy personal protective gear to serve our public. We have no grievances in serving the public as this is our calling.

“Seeing our patient recover is our greatest joy. Many would have seen the smile in our eyes (because we are all wearing masks) when we send our recovered patients back home. But little do people see when we silently shed tears for patients whom we fail to wrest from the hands of death.

“The public call us ‘heroes’ but I beg to disagree. We are nothing more than mere humans.

“Like everyone else, we are of flesh and blood, we laugh and we cry, there are times when we are happy and times when we are worried. We also have parents, spouses, children.

“In the midst of all this chaos, as contract doctors, we do not wish for extra pay or bonus, we do not ask for medals or recognition.

“We only ask to be converted to Permanent Medical Officers. We only ask to be able to treat our patients wholeheartedly and not worry about whether our contract will be extended/terminated the following year.

“We only ask to be treated fairly, as with our Permanent Medical Officer colleagues, so that we have a chance to specialise through a Master programme and gain more knowledge/skills to help our patients.”

Yesterday we had two bad news on the Covid-19 pandemic front – Malaysia’s plunging 35 rungs from 16th rank in January to 51st rank in the June 2021 Bloomberg Covid Resilience Ranking and Covid-19 deaths exceeding the 5,000-mark.

If there are Code Black and hartal events because of the long outstanding grievances of the contract doctors, Malaysia will again be attracting world publicity for the wrong reasons.

The time has come that the old solution of promising to look into the matter and relapsing into slumber to be abadoned, and the whole Cabinet should resign if it continues to show indifference and lack of seriousness about the Covid-19 pandemic and allow the outstanding grievances of contract doctors to fester into Code Black and hartal events.

(Media Statement (2) by DAP MP for Iskandar Puteri in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday, June 29, 2021)

#kerajaangagal145 — Seluruh Kabinet perlu meletakkan jawatan sekiranya mereka terus menunjukkan sikap tidak peduli mengenai keseriusan wabak Covid-19 dan terus mengabaikan masalah yang dihadapi oleh doktor kontrak sehingga terjadinya hartal

Amat menyedihkan membaca penderita doktor-doktor kontrak. Seorang mereka menulis:

“Saya tidak mempunyai jaminan kerjaya dan masa depan saya kelihatan gelap. Kerana saya bukan seorang Pegawai Perubatan Tetap, kontrak saya mungkin tidak akan diperbaharui mengikut budi bicara majikan saya (Kementerian Kesihatan Malaysia) dan saya tidak dapat peluang untuk melanjutkan pengajian ke peringkat ijazah sarjana untuk mendapatkan pengkhususan.

“Semasa tempoh pandemik ini, kebanyakan doktor barisan hadapan yang berurusan dengan orang awam adalah Pegawai Perubatan Kontrak. Kami merisikokan nyawa kami sambil memakai pakaian perlindungan diri yang melemaskan untuk berkhidmat demi rakyat. Kami tidak mempunyai sebarang masalah berbuat demikian kerana ini adalah seruan kami.

“Melihat pesakit kami pulih adalah perkara yang paling menggembirakan kami. Ramai yang telah melihat senyuman di mata kami (kerana kami semua memakai pelitup muka) apabila kami menghantar pesakit yang telah sembuh pulang. Tetapi tidak ramai yang melihat kami menitiskan air mata untuk pesakit yang kami gagal selamatkan dari ajalnya.

“Orang awam panggil kami hero, tetapi saya tidak bersetuju. Kami hanya manusia biasa.

“Seperti orang lain, kami juga ketawa dan menangis, terdapat masa di mana kami gembira dan masa di mana kami risau. Kami juga ada ibu bapa, pasangan, dan anak-anak.

“Dalam segala kekecohan ini, sebagai doktor kontrak, kami tidak meminta bayaran tambahan atau bonus, kami tidak minta pingat atau penghargaan.

“Kami hanya minta dijadikan Pegawai Perubatan Tetap. Kami minta supaya kami dapat merawat pesakit kami dengan sepenuh jiwa dan raga tanpa perlu bimbang mengenai masa depan kerjaya kami.

“Kami hanya minta dilayan dengan adil, seperti mana rakan sekerja Pegawai Perubatan Tetap kami, supaya kami dapat peluang untuk melanjutkan pelajaran dan mendapatkan lebih banyak pengetahuan untuk membantu pesakit kami.”

Semalam, kita menyaksikan dua berita buruk mengenai wabak Covid-19 — Malaysia jatuh 35 anak tangga dalam Bloomberg Covid Resilience Ranking daripada tempat ke-16 pada bulan Januari tahun ini kepada tempat ke-51 semalam, dan juga kita menyaksikan angka kematian dalam negara akibat Covid-19 memecahkan siling 5,000 nyawa.

Sekiranya berlaku hartal akibat daripada kekecewaan dan masalah yang dihadapi oleh doktor kontrak dalam negara kita, Malaysia sekali lagi akan terkenal di seluruh dunia untuk perkara yang buruk.

Masanya telah tiba untuk kerajaan berhenti untuk hanya menjanjikan untuk menyiasat masalah-masalah yang dihadapi oleh para doktor kontrak ini dan kemudiannya terus melupakannya, dan seluruh Kabinet perlu meletakkan jawatan sekiranya mereka terus menunjukkan sikap tidak peduli mengenai keseriusan wabak Covid-19 dan terus mengabaikan masalah yang dihadapi oleh doktor kontrak sehingga terjadinya hartal.

(Kenyataan Media Ahli Parlimen DAP Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang di Kuala Lumpur pada hari Selasa, 29 Jun 2021)

                This entry was posted on Tuesday, 29 June 2021, 2:09 pm and is filed under
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#kerajaangagal146  – The Cabinet tomorrow will decide whether there will be a full-blown constitutional crisis as the Yang di Pertuan Agong has made it crystal clear as to what he meant by “as soon as possible”

(Tatal ke bawah untuk kenyataan versi BM)

The Cabinet tomorrow will decide whether there will be a full-blown constitutional crisis as the Yang di Pertuan Agong has made it crystal clear as to what he meant by “as soon as possible”.

After meeting Dewan Rakyat speaker Azhar Azizan Harun, his deputies Azalina Othman Said and Mohd Rashid Hasnon, Dewan Negara president Rais Yatim and his deputy Mohamad Ali Mohamad at Istana Negara this morning, the Yang di Pertuan Agong reiterated that Parliament should be convened “as soon as possible” as he wishes to see the emergency proclamation and emergency ordinances debated in Parliament, in accordance to Article 150(3) of the Federal Constitution.

If Parliament is convened after emergency is ended on August 1, then it becomes academic and purposeless to debate the emergency proclamation and the emergency ordinances for emergency would have ended.

After the Yang di Pertuan Agong’s meeting with the presiding officers of Dewan Rakyat and Dewan Negara today, there is no question as to the meaning of “as soon as possible” intended by the Yang di Pertuan Agong and the Rulers at the Conference of Rulers special meeting on June 16.

Any Cabinet Minister who still doubt as to what the Yang di Pertuan Agong meant, and thought it could extend to the convening of Parliament in September, October or indefinitely is a fool or an imbecile, and is not fit to continue to be in the Cabinet and Malaysians as a whole have the right to demand his or her resignation as a Minister as he or she does not have the necessary IQ to be in the Cabinet.

(Media Statement (3) by DAP MP for Iskandar Puteri in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday, June 29, 2021)

#kerajaangagal146 – Kabinet esok perlu memutuskan sama ada akan berlaku krisis perlembagaan pada skala besar kerana Yang di-Pertuan Agong telah menjelaskan dengan jelas tentang apa yang dimaksudkan baginda dengan titah “secepat mungkin”

Kabinet esok perlu memutuskan sama ada akan berlaku krisis perlembagaan pada skala besar kerana Yang di-Pertuan Agong telah menjelaskan dengan jelas tentang apa yang dimaksudkan baginda dengan titah “secepat mungkin”.

Selepas mengadakan pertemuan dengan Speaker Dewan Rakyat Azhar Azizan Harun dan dua timbalannya Azalina Othman Said dan Mohd Rashid Hasnon serta presiden Dewan Negara, Rais Yatim dan timbalannya, Mohamad Ali Mohamad di Istana Negara pagi ini, Yang di-Pertuan Agong sekali lagi menzahirkan pandangan bahawa persidangan Parlimen perlu diadakan secepat mungkin bagi membolehkan Proklamasi Darurat dan Ordinan-ordinan Darurat yang telah dikeluarkan dapat dibentang di Parlimen seperti yang termaktub dalam Perkara 150 (3) Perlembagaan Persekutuan.

Sekiranya Parlimen bersidang setelah darurat berakhir pada 1 Ogos, maka tidak ada lagi keperluan untuk membahaskan Proklamasi Darurat dan Ordinan-ordinan Darurat kerana tempoh darurat sudah berakhir.

Selepas pertemuan Yang di-Pertuan Agong dengan wakil-wakil dari Dewan Rakyat dan Dewan Negara hari ini, tiada lagi keraguan mengenai “secepat mungkin” yang dimaksudkan oleh baginda dan Majlis Raja-raja Melayu selepas mengadakan perbincangan khas pada 16 Jun.

Mana-mana Menteri yang masih ragu-ragu mengenai apa yang dimaksudkan oleh Yang di-Pertuan Agong, dan berpendapat sidang Parlimen boleh ditangguhkan sehingga bulan September, Oktober atau tanpa tarikh yang jelas adalah bodoh atau jahil, malah tidak layak untuk terus berada dalam barisan Kabinet dan rakyat Malaysia berhak menuntut agar Menteri terbabit berundur kerana jelas mereka tidak mempunyai kepintaran yang diperlukan untuk berada dalam Kabinet.

(Kenyataan Media (3) Ahli Parlimen DAP Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang di Kuala Lumpur pada hari Selasa, 29 Jun 2021)

                This entry was posted on Tuesday, 29 June 2021, 2:41 pm and is filed under
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#kerajaangagal147 – Takiyuddin is wrong both  in law and in fact in saying that Parliament can only convene after Emergency has ended as Parliament had met under multiple emergencies for over four decades

(Tatal ke bawah untuk kenyataan versi BM)

The Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Parliament), Takiyuddin Hassan, is wrong both in law and in fact in saying that Parliament can only convene after Emergency has ended as the Malaysian Parliament had met under multiple emergencies for over four decades.

It was only on 24th November 2011 that Parliament revoked the multiple proclamations of emergency and Malaysia became a more normal country.

This followed the passage of a motion in Parliament by the then Prime Minister, Najib Razak, on 24th November 2011 to revoke the Emergency Proclamations of 1966, 1969 and 1977.

Ever since 1977, I had been calling in Parliament for the revocation of four Proclamations of Emergency of 1964 (concerning the Indonesian Confrontation), 1966 (Sarawak political crisis), 1969 (May 13 Riots) and 1977 (Kelantan political crisis) in Parliament.

On 28th and 29th June, 1979, my motion to revoke the four Proclamations of Emergency was debated in Parliament for two days but all the Barisan Nasional MPs spoke and voted against it.

During the parliamentary debate on 24th November 2011, I questioned why the Proclamation of Emergency of 3rd September 1964 arising from the Indonesian Confrontation had been omitted from the revocation list.

When I spoke in Parliament in 1979 on the need to end the permanent state of emergency and to revoke the four Proclamations of Emergency as the situations giving rise to their issue had long ceased to exist, no Minister had ever raised the point that following a 1971 judgment the 1963 Proclamation of Emergency had ceased to exist as it had been superseded by the 1969 Proclamation.

I had said: “This is a new position taken by the government. If this is the position of the Attorney-General, what happens if there is another Attorney-General who does not agree with this point? Will we find one day that the 1963 Proclamation of Emergency still exists?”

I asked in the parliamentary debate in 2011 for an explanation for the “long delay” in repealing the multiple Emergency Proclamations – 45 years in the case of the 1966 Proclamation to topple the then Sarawak Chief Minister Stephen Kalong Ningkan, 42 years in the case of the 1969 Proclamation arising from the May 13 riots and 34 years in the case of the 1977 Proclamation to topple PAS control of the Kelantan government when the “emergency” situations causing the Emergency Proclamations to be made had long ceased to exist.

As I said in my 1979 motion in Parliament to revoke the Emergency Proclamations: “The perpetuation of a Proclamation of Emergency, when the emergency condition for which it was made had ceased to exist, is certainly an abuse of power and unconstitutional”.

It was also symptomatic of the arrogance of power which had long afflicted UMNO and Barisan Nasional at the time.

My speech in Parliament on that day proved to be quite prophetic.

I stressed that the revocation of the multiple Emergency Proclamations was only a small step in the direction to make Malaysia a normal country and would not on its own make Malaysia, as was the hype at the time, the “best democracy of the world”.

This has been proven true or we would not have today made the transition to a “democracy without Parliament”!

I had suggested the restoration of the original provision on Article 150 on the Emergency Proclamation in the Merdeka Constitution to provide for effective check and balance against undemocratic and authoritarian government, as the Merdeka Constitution had been amended totally beyond recognition to allow for arbitrary governance.

I asked, for instance, whether the government was prepared to return to the original Merdeka Constitution provision not only to restore the powers of judicial review to ensure that there is no abuse of power in the exercise of Article 150 provision on Emergency Proclamation, but also to subject Emergency Proclamations to meaningful Parliamentary review and control.

For instance, the original Article 150 in the Merdeka Constitution provided:

“A Proclamation of Emergency and any ordinance promulgated shall be laid before both Houses of Parliament and, if not sooner revoked, shall cease to be in force –

(a) A Proclamation at the expiration of a period of two months beginning with the date on which it was issued;

(b) An ordinance at the expiration of a period of fifteen days beginning with the date on which both Houses are first sitting,

unless, before the expiration of that period, it has been approved by a resolution of each House of Parliament.”

But this was not done or we would not be faced with the constitutional conundrum today – where an emergency was declared purportedly to fight the Covid-19 pandemic but really to suspend Parliament because the government does not enjoy the support of the majority of MPs in Parliament. To add insult to injury, the emergency was a dismal failure in the war against the Covid-19 pandemic.

The question is whether the Cabinet today would put a stop to these ravages to the Constitution or is prepared to face a full-blown constitutional crisis incurring the collective displeasure of the Yang di Pertuan Agong, the Rulers, Parliament and the people of Malaysia!

(Media Statement by DAP MP for Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang in Kuala Lumpur Wednesday, June 30, 2021)

#kerajaangagal147 – Takiyuddin silap dari segi perundangan dan fakta dalam kenyataannya bahawa Parlimen hanya boleh bersidang selepas tamat tempoh darurat kerana Parlimen pernah bersidang di bawah beberapa perintah darurat selama lebih empat dekad sebelum ini

Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri (Undang-undang) Takiyuddin Hassan silap dari segi perundangan dan fakta dalam kenyataannya bahawa Parlimen hanya boleh bersidang selepas tamat tempoh darurat kerana Parlimen pernah bersidang di bawah beberapa perintah darurat selama lebih empat dekad sebelum ini.

Pada 24 November 2011, Parlimen membuat keputusan untuk memansuhkan beberapa Proklamasi Darurat.

Ini susulan pembentangan usul oleh Najib Razak di Dewan Rakyat pada 24 November 2011 untuk memansuhkan Proklamasi Darurat 1966, 1969 dan 1977.

Sejak 1977, saya telah menggesa Parlimen memansuhkan empat Proklamasi Darurat iaitu Proklamasi Darurat 1964 (berkaitan Konfrontasi Indonesia), 1966 (Krisis politik Sarawak), 1969 (rusuhan 13 Mei) dan 1977 (krisis politik Kelantan).

Pada 28 dan 29 Jun 1979, usul saya untuk memansuhkan empat Proklamasi Darurat tersebut telah dibahaskan di Parlimen selama dua hari. Bagaimanapun, semua Ahli Parlimen Barisan Nasional telah mengundi untuk menolak usul tersebut.

Semasa perbahasan Parlimen pada 24 November 2011, saya mempersoalkan mengapa Proklamasi Darurat pada 3 September 1964 berikutan isu Konfrontasi Indonesia telah dikeluarkan daripada senarai pemansuhan tersebut.

Semasa saya berucap di Parlimen pada 1979 tentang keperluan untuk menamat keadaan darurat kekal dan memansuhkan empat Proklamasi Darurat kerana isu yang menyebabkan proklamasi itu berkuatkuasa, tidak lagi wujud pada masa ini, tiada seorang Menteri pun membangkitkan tentang penghakiman 1971 bahawa Proklamasi Darurat 1963 telah terhenti selepas ia digantikan dengan Proklamasi Darurat 1969.

Saya berkata: “Ini adalah pendirian baharu yang diambil oleh kerajaan. Jika pendirian ini mewakili pendirian peguam negara, apa akan terjadi jika peguam negara lain tidak bersetuju dengan perkara ini? Adakah suatu hari nanti kita akan mendapati bahawa Proklamasi Darurat 1963 masih wujud?”

Dalam perbahasan di Parlimen pada 2011, saya memohon penjelasan berhubung kelewatan pemansuhan beberapa Proklamasi Darurat — 45 tahun; Proklamasi 1966 yang menyaksikan penggulingan Ketua Menteri Sarawak Stephen Kalong Ningkan, 42 tahun; Proklamasi 1969 berikutan rusuhan 13 Mei dan 34 tahun; Proklamasi 1977 yang menyaksikan PAS hilang kuasa dalam kerajaan Kelantan ketika situasi yang menyebabkan proklamasi itu berkuatkuasa sudah tidak lagi wujud.

Seperti yang diperkatakan saya dalam usul yang dibawa saya di Parlimen pada 1979 berhubung pemansuhan Proklamasi Darurat: “Tindakan mengekalkan Proklamasi Darurat, sedangkan situasi yang menyebabkan proklamasi itu berkuatkuasa sudah tidak lagi wujud, adalah suatu tindakan penyalahgunaan kuasa malah melanggar perlembagaan.”

Ia juga gejala keangkuhan kuasa yang telah lama dikesan dalam Umno dan Barisan Nasional pada masa itu.

Ucapan saya di Parlimen pada hari tersebut terbukti benar.

Saya menegaskan bahawa pemansuhan beberapa Proklamasi Darurat hanyalah suatu langkah kecil ke arah menjadikan Malaysia sebuah negara biasa dan bukan faktor yang menjadikan negara ini sebuah negara demokrasi terbaik di dunia.

Ini terbukti benar kerana kita kini sedang menuju ke arah pemerintahan “demokrasi tanpa Parlimen”

Saya telah mencadangkan pengembalian semula peruntukan asal Perkara 150 Proklamasi Darurat dalam Perlembagaan Merdeka untuk menyediakan ruang semak dan imbang yang berkesan terhadap kerajaan yang tidak demokratik dan bersifat autokratik, kerana Perlembagaan Merdeka telah dipinda sepenuhnya daripada semangat asalnya bagi membolehkan wujudnya sebuah tadbir urus yang bersifat kuku besi.

Saya bertanya, antaranya, sama ada kerajaan bersedia untuk kembali kepada Peruntukan Perlembagaan Merdeka yang asal bukan sahaja untuk memulihkan kuasa semakan kehakiman bagi memastikan bahawa tidak akan berlaku penyalahgunaan kuasa dalam melaksanakan peruntukan Perkara 150 mengenai Proklamasi Darurat, tetapi juga untuk meletakkan Proklamasi Darurat di bawah penelitian dan bidang kuasa Parlimen.

Sebagai contoh, Perkara 150 dalam Perlembagaan Merdeka menetapkan:

“Proklamasi Darurat dan apa-apa ordinan yang dimasyhurkan hendaklah dibentangkan di hadapan kedua-dua Majlis Parlimen dan, jika tidak terlebih dahulu dibatalkan, hendaklah terhenti berkuat kuasa jika –

a. sesuatu Proklamasi, apabila habis tempoh dua bulan mulai tarikh Proklamasi itu dikeluarkan; dan

b. sesuatu ordinan, apabila habis tempoh lima belas hari mulai tarikh kedua-dua Majlis bersidang pertama kali,

melainkan jika, sebelum habis tempoh itu, Proklamasi atau ordinan itu telah diluluskan melalui suatu ketetapan setiap Majlis Parlimen.”.

Namun, perkara ini tidak dilakukan. Jika tidak, kita sudah tentu tidak akan berhadapan dengan teka-teki perlembagaan yang wujud hari ini – di mana Proklamasi Darurat diisytiharkan kononnya untuk melawan pandemik Covid-19 sedangkan ia digunakan untuk menggantung Parlimen kerana kerajaan hari ini tidak mempunyai sokongan majoriti di Parlimen. Menambah lagi garam ke luka, pengisytiharan darurat telah mencapai titik kegagalan yang menyedihkan dalam perang melawan pandemik Covid-19.

Persoalannya kini, adakah Kabinet hari ini akan menghentikan penjarahan terhadap Perlembagaan atau bersedia untuk berhadapan dengan krisis perlembagaan pada skala besar yang bakal menimbulkan kemurkaan Yang di-Pertuan Agong dan Raja-Raja Melayu serta kemarahan Parlimen dan rakyat Malaysia!

(Kenyataan Media Ahli Parlimen DAP Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang di Kuala Lumpur pada hari Rabu 30 Jun 2021)

                This entry was posted on Wednesday, 30 June 2021, 8:14 am and is filed under
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#kerajaangagal148 –  Malaysia will exceed 10,000 Covid-19 deaths soon if the  present  rate of Covid-19 fatalities – where 2,302 people  died of Covid-19 in the 29 days of June – is not stopped

(Tatal ke bawah untuk kenyataan versi BM)

The Cabinet must find a formula to end the spiral of Covid-19 deaths and suicides or we are going to see fatalities from Covid-19 pandemic exceed 10,000 deaths and a record-year for suicides.

Malaysia will exceed 10,000 Covid-19 deaths soon if the present rate of Covid-19 fatalities – where 2,302 people died of Covid-19 in the 29 days of June – is not stopped.

When emergency was proclaimed on January 11, 2021, there were 555 Covid-19 deaths. As of yesterday (29th June 2021), 4,553 people have died during the emergency, bringing the total fatalities from Covid-19 to 5,108 – shooting Malaysia to be among the top 60 countries in the world with the most number of Covid-19 deaths.

We are not in the league of the top five countries in the world with the most number of cumulative total of Covid-19 deaths, led by United States, with 34.5 million cases and nearly 620,000 deaths; Brazil with 18.5 million cases and over 516,000 deaths; India with over 30 million cases and nearly 400,000 deaths; Mexico with 2.5 million cases and over 230,000 deaths and Peru with two million cases and over 192,000 deaths.

But going by Our World in Data website, as on June 28, 2021, apart from

Russia and the South American nations, we have beaten the other top 10 countries in the world with the most cumulative total of Covid-19 cases with regard to “deaths per million of population” as illustrated from the following figures:

1. United States of America – 0.82

2. India – 0.86

3. Brazil – 7.73

4. France – 0.49

5. Russia – 3.94

6. Turkey – 0.67

7. United Kingdom – 0.26

8. Argentina – 11.54

9. Italy 0.49

10. Colombia – 13.32

11. Malaysia 2.31

How low has Malaysia sunk in achievements and excellence in various fields of human endeavour as compared to the better nations in the world?

Recently, an eminent Brazilian epidemiologist, Pedro Hallal, a professor at the

Federal University of Pelotas, said Brazil could have saved 400,000 lives if the country had implemented stricter social distancing measures and launched a vaccination programme earlier.

Hallal, who last week testified before a Brazilian senate inquiry into the government’s handling of the crisis, estimated that 95,000 to 145,000 deaths occurred due to the country’s inaction in acquiring vaccines.

Could Malaysia have saved 4,000 lives if the Muhyiddin government had better handled the Covid-19 pandemic?

What about the higher rate of suicides during the Covid-19 pandemic?

Is there a special programme by the Ministry of Community Development to deal with the rise of depression and suicides, especially with the shocking revelation of an average of four suicide cases every day for the first three months of the year?

The toll of 5,108 deaths from Covid-19 should be on the conscience of every

Cabinet Minister, for the majority of those who died could have been spared if there had not been a mishandling of the war against the Covid-19 pandemic.

This reason should be enough for the Ministers to collectively decide on an end of the emergency and the convening of Parliament to form a “Win the war against Covid-19 pandemic” coalition at all levels of the Malaysian society.

(Media Statement (2) by DAP MP for Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang in Kuala Lumpur Wednesday, June 30, 2021)

#kerajaangagal148 — Malaysia akan mencatatkan lebih daripada 10,000 kematian akibat Covid-19 kelak jika kadar korban nyawa semasa tidak dihentikan

Kabinet perlu mencari formula baharu untuk mengawal kadar kematian akibat Covid-19 dan bunuh diri, jika tidak kita akan melihat kadar kematian akibat wabak ini melepasi paras 10,000 korban dan rekod baharu untuk jumlah kes bunuh diri dalam tahun ini.

Malaysia akan mencatatkan lebih daripada 10,000 kematian akibat Covid-19 kelak jika kadar korban nyawa semasa — di mana 2,302 orang telah terkorban dalam 29 hari bulan Jun ini — tidak dihentikan.

Semasa darurat diisytiharkan pada 11 Januari 2021, kita menyaksikan 555 kematian akibat Covid-19 yang terkumpul. Setakat semalam (29 Jun 2021), kita telah mencatatkan 4,553 kematian dalam tempoh darurat ini, membawa jumlah korban terkumpul akibat Covid-19 di negara kita ke 5,108 kematian — melonjakkan kedudukan negara kita di tempat ke-60 teratas dengan angka kematian tertinggi.

Kita tidak berada di dalam liga yang sama seperti lima negara teratas di dunia dengan jumlah kematian terkumpul tertinggi, yang didahului oleh Amerika Syarikat dengan 34.5 juta kes dan hampir 620,000 kematian; Brazil dengan 18.5 juta kes dan lebih daripada 516,000 kematian; India dengan lebih 30 juta kes dan hampir 400,000 kematian; Mexico dengan 2.5 juta kes dan lebih dari 230,000 kematian dan Peru dengan dua juta kes dan lebih dari 192,000 kematian.

Tetapi, menurut laman web Our World in Data, setakat 28 Jun 2021, selain daripada Rusia dan negara-negara Amerika Selatan, kita telah mengalahkan 10 negara dengan kes jumlah kes terbanyak dari segi “kematian per sejuta penduduk” seperti yang dapat dilihat daripada angka berikut:

1. Amerika Syarikat – 0.82

2. India – 0.86

3. Brazil – 7.73

4. Perancis – 0.49

5. Rusia – 3.94

6. Turki – 0.67

7. United Kingdom – 0.26

8. Argentina – 11.54

9. Itali – 0.49

10. Colombia – 13.32

11. Malaysia – 2.31

Berapa jauhkah kita telah mundur ke belakang dalam mengejar pencapaian dan kecemerlangan dalam pelbagai bidang yang diceburi manusia berbanding dengan negara-negara lain yang lebih baik di seluruh dunia?

Baru-baru ini, seorang pakar epidemiologi yang tersohor dari Brazil, Pedro Hallal, seorang profesor di Universiti Persekutuan Pelotas, mengatakan yang Brazil mungkin akan dapat menyelamatkan 400,000 nyawa sekiranya negara tersebut telah mengamalkan penjarakan fizikal dengan lebih tegas dan melancarkan program vaksinasi lebih awal.

Hallal, yang baru sahaja memberikan keterangan kepada siasatan Senat Brazil minggu lepas mengenai pengendalian krisis Covid-19 di Brazil menganggarkan 95,000 ke 145,000 kematian yang berlaku di negara tersebut adalah akibat kelambatan mendapatkan bekalan vaksin.

Mungkinkah Malaysia dapat menyelamatkan 4,000 nyawa sekiranya kerajaan Muhyiddin berjaya mengendalikan wabak Covid-19 di negara kita dengan lebih baik?

Bagaimana pula dengan kadar bunuh diri yang meningkat semasa krisis Covid-19 ini?

Adakah terdapat program khas daripada kementerian yang bertanggungjawab kepada pembangunan komuniti untuk menangani peningkatan dalam masalah kemurungan dan bunuh diri, terutamanya selepas pendedahan bahawa terdapat secara purata empat kes bunuh diri setiap hari dalam tempoh tiga bulan pertama tahun ini?

Angka kematian 5,108 orang akibat Covid-19 ini perlu diingati oleh setiap Menteri Kabinet, kerana kebanyakan kematian ini dapat dielakkan sekiranya tidak berlaku kesilapan dalam mengendalikan peperangan dalam melawan wabak Covid-19 di negara kita.

Sebab ini sahaja sudah cukup kuat untuk semua Menteri memutuskan secara bersama untuk menamatkan darurat dan memanggil semula Parlimen untuk membentuk gagasan untuk memenangi perang melawan wabak Covid-19 di semua peringkat masyarakat dalam negara kita.

(Kenyataan Media (2) Ahli Parlimen DAP Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang di Kuala Lumpur pada hari Rabu, 30 Jun 2021)

                This entry was posted on Wednesday, 30 June 2021, 11:55 am and is filed under
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#kerajaangagal149 – Is Malaysia destined to become  a failed state unable to replace a failed strategy with a winning plan  in the war against Covid-19 pandemic?

The Health Director-General, Noor Hashim Abdullah has been proven right with his prognostication this morning that Covid-19 cases will climb  in the coming weeks.

This has been confirmed  by the Covid-19 figures announced  later in the day  which reported 6,276 new Covid-19 cases today, which gives  a rolling daily average of 5,852 new Covid-19 cases for the past seven days  – a long distance from the threshold of less than 4,000 cases for the transition from Phase One to Phase two of the National Recovery Plan, which was supposed to start on July 1.

From the look of things, it is quite dubious that the threshold of less than 4,000 cases could even be reached in early August.

Noor Hisham had this morning  shared the current Susceptible-Exposed-Infectious-Removed (SEIR) projection where   Malaysia’s average cases  deviated from the curve plotted for an effective reproduction number (Rt) of 0.95.

Dr Noor Hisham said that the current Rt was 1.04. This number must be below 1.0 for Covid-19 to be suppressed in Malaysia.

Based on the current trajectory of average cases, Malaysia is headed for 6,000 daily cases in the first half of July or the opposite direction needed for the country to exit Phase One of the National Recovery Plan (NRP).

Thus, in a matter of two  weeks, the National Recovery Plan announced by the Prime Minister, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, has proved to be mere wishful thinking on his part – his building castles in the air.

This is why we are in no position to make any progress in the Covid-19 exit plan for the transition from Phase One to Phase Two on July 1 and why there are the  following developments which catapult Malaysia to the world’s top worst performing  nations in the Covid-19 pandemic:

·       When Muhyiddin was announcing his RM150 billion Pemulih economic package, Bloomberg was broadcasting to the world that  Malaysia had fallen 35 places from 16th rank in January 2021 to a catastrophic 51st position in the June 2021 Bloomberg Covid Resilience Ranking out of 53 economies of more than US$200 billion;

·       Malaysia fell 50 places from the 85th rank  on November 18, 2020 among nations in the world with the most cumulative total of Covid-19 cases to 35th position in 26 weeks;

·       The world’s previous worst performing  nations like the United States, India, France, Russia, United Kingdom, Italy, Spain and Germany recently  turning the table on Malaysia and  performing better in “daily Covid-19 cases per million population”;

·       These previously worst performing nations in the Covid-19 pandemic like United States, India, France, Russia, United Kingdom, Italy, Spain and Germany  in recent times  doing better than Malaysia in the  category of ‘deaths per million population”; and

·       Malaysia losing out to China in having more cumulative total of Covid-19 cases and Covid-19 deaths, although China has 44 times the population of Malaysia.

I commend the Senate President Rais Yatim and the Parliament Speaker Azhar Azizan Harun for taking a stand that Parliament should be convened before the end of emergency on August 1.

The founding fathers of the nation never intended the Executive to have emergency powers to suspend Parliament, as evident from the original Article 150 of the 1957 Merdeka Constitution which states:

“A Proclamation of Emergency and any ordinance promulgated shall be laid before both Houses of Parliament and, if not sooner revoked, shall cease to be in force –

(a) A Proclamation at the expiration of a period of two months beginning with the date on which it was issued;

(b) An ordinance at the expiration of a period of fifteen days beginning with the date on which both Houses are first sitting,

unless, before the expiration of that period, it has been approved by a resolution of each House of Parliament.”

It is pathetic that the Prime Minister needs to be convinced to uphold the word and spirit of the Malaysian Constitution, and equally pathetic that the Attorney-General has been unable to advise to the Prime Minister to do so.

What is even more shocking  is that there are voices defending  the strategy in the war against Covid-19 pandemic, when it is obvious and elementary that it had been a dismal failure.

I had stressed many times that the preconditions for a winning strategy in the war against the Covid-19 pandemic must  include the following:

·       Restore public trust and confidence in the national strategy in the  war against Covid-19 pandemic. The reason the National Recovery Plan and the RM150 billion Pemulih economic package are not game-changers in the war against Covid-19 pandemic  are because of the deficit in public trust and confidence.

·       An “all-of-government” and “whole-of-society” strategy and approach in the war against Covid-19, which had been noticeably absent in the 18-month Covid-19 pandemic.

·       “War mentality” by all Malaysians to unite to win the war against the Covid-19 pandemic, based on a political moratorium with a single-minded focus by all in Malaysia, including the Executive, Parliament and all sectors of society  that the only national priority is to win the war against the Covid-19 pandemic and all other considerations must be subordinated to this objective.

·       Unite all Malaysians, regardless of race, religion, region or politics in the war against Covid-19 pandemic and no extremist, intolerant and toxic politics of race or religion.

·       Removal of factors which detract from winning the war against Covid-19 pandemic.

There must be a new start in the war against Covid-19 pandemic where all political and other differences are temporarily put aside so that the country can win the war against the coronavirus to save lives, livelihoods and the country’s economic future.

I have called for a one or two years of political moratorium and a “Win the War Against Covid-19 Pandemic” (WACOP) coalition to save the country from the devastation in lives, economic losses and societal damages of the pandemic.

We must find the political will and ingenuity to remove all factors which undermine the national objective to reverse the tides of defeat and win the war against the Covid-19 pandemic.

Otherwise, there is only one outcome –  Malaysia becoming a failed state unable to replace a failed strategy with a winning plan  in the war against Covid-19 pandemic!

(Media Statement(3) by DAP MP for Iskandar Puteri in Kuala Lumpur Wednesday, June 30, 2021)

                This entry was posted on Wednesday, 30 June 2021, 5:36 pm and is filed under
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#kerajaangagal150 – Malaysia must get out of the trajectory of a failed state just as we got ourselves out of the trajectory of a kleptocracy in the 14th General Election in 2018

(Tatal ke bawah untuk kenyataan versi BM)

Malaysia ended June 2021 with quite a disastrous bang – we overtook Jordan and now ranked No. 35 among nations with the most cumulative total of Covid-19 cases with 751,979 cases and 5,170 deaths from Covid-19.

We will next overtake Japan, ranked No. 34, presently with 798,159 Covid-19 cases and 14,740 Covid-19 deaths well before the Tokyo Olympics scheduled for July 23 – August 8, 2021.

At the rate of current Covid-19 infections in Malaysia, we will overtake Japan before the middle of July.

At present, there are three countries with over 800,000 Covid-19 cases and two countries with over 900,000 cases.

If the present rate of Covid-19 infection in Malaysia is not checked, we will join the “million club of nations” with over one million Covid-19 cases to mark our 64th National Day on August 31, 2021.

Is this what we want?

Is it possible to pull Malaysia back from the brink of deep polarisation along racial and religious lines because of lies, fake news and hate speech and for Malaysia to become a great nation?

Is it possible to save Malaysia from the perdition of the Covid-19 pandemic?

It has been said that Malaysians must choose whether they want to become cow herders or pig herders.

Malaysians do not want to be cow herders or pig herders but want to be a great nation on the cutting edge of technology, leveraging on the best values from the four great civilisations which meet in confluence in Malaysia – to build a world top class nation.

It is a great fallacy that the political choice before Malaysians is whether to be cow herders or pig herders.

But increasingly, we are showing the marks of a failed state, as illustrated by the following:

· The immediate failure of the National Recovery Plan (NRP), with Covid-19 cases projected to remain in the 6,000 cases zone in the first half of July when Malaysia should be making the transition from Phase One to Phase Two of the NRP by achieving the threshold of less than 4,000 cases at the end of June;

· Malaysia falling 35 places from 16th rank in January 2021 to a catastrophic 51st position in the June 2021 Bloomberg Covid Resilience Ranking out of 53 economies of more than US$200 billion;

· Malaysia falling 50 places from the 85th rank on November 18, 2020 among nations in the world with the most cumulative total of Covid-19 cases to 35th position on 30th June 2021 in a matter of 26 weeks;

· The world’s previous worst performing nations like the United States, India, France, Russia, United Kingdom, Italy, Spain and Germany recently turning the table on Malaysia and performing better in “daily Covid-19 cases per million population”;

· These previously worst performing nations in the Covid-19 pandemic like United States, India, France, Russia, United Kingdom, Italy, Spain and Germany in recent times doing better than Malaysia even in the category of Covid-19 “deaths per million population”; and

· Malaysia losing out to China in having more cumulative total of Covid-19 cases and Covid-19 deaths, although China has 44 times the population of Malaysia.

Malaysians must lift ourselves out of the trajectory of a failed state, and this is possible just as we had lifted ourselves out of the trajectory of a kleptocracy in the 14th General Election in 2018.

I have called for a one or two years of political moratorium and a “Win the War Against Covid-19 Pandemic” (WACOP) coalition at all levels of Malaysian society to save the country from the devastation in lives, economic losses and societal damages of the pandemic.

We must find the political will and ingenuity to remove all factors which undermine the national objective to reverse the tides of defeat and to win the war against the Covid-19 pandemic.

The #kerajaangagal, #“Kita Jaga Kita”, #KerajaanBodoh, “#BenderaPutih, #PMCirit(Diarrhoea PM) and #KerajaanCirit (Diarrhoea government) hashtag campaigns on the social media are a reflection of the deep sense of frustration, anger, disappointment, hopelessness and even despair at a government which has lost its way with the Covid SOP flip-flops, U-turns and double-standards and the selfish pursuit of self-interests instead of the national good.

We must restore a sense of national purpose and mission starting with a winning strategy to win the long, invisible but lethal war against the Covid-19 pandemic, comprising the following elements:

· Restore public trust and confidence in the national strategy in the war against Covid-19 pandemic. The reason the National Recovery Plan and the RM150 billion Pemulih economic package are not game-changers in the war against Covid-19 pandemic are because of the unprecedented deficit in public trust and confidence.

· An “all-of-government” and “whole-of-society” strategy and approach in the war against Covid-19, which had been noticeably absent in the 18-month Covid-19 pandemic.

· “War mentality” by all Malaysians to unite to win the war against the Covid-19 pandemic, based on a Covid moratorium and coalition with a single-minded focus by all in Malaysia, including the Executive, Parliament and all sectors of society that the only national priority is to win the war against the Covid-19 pandemic and all other considerations must be subordinated to this objective.

· Unite all Malaysians, regardless of race, religion, region or politics in the war against Covid-19 pandemic and the end of extremist, intolerant and toxic politics of race or religion.

· Removal of factors which detract from winning the war against Covid-19 pandemic like incompetent Ministers, corruption and the end of Covid-19 SOP flip-flops, U-turns and double-standards.

There must be a new start in the war against Covid-19 pandemic where all political and other differences are temporarily put aside so that the country can win the war against the coronavirus to save lives, livelihoods and the country’s economic future.

It must be a WACOP coalition of the Malaysian society, regardless of race, religion, region or politics, that can reach and provide help to every vulnerable Malaysian who needs help and end the shocking statistics of an average of four suicide cases every day for the first three months of the year – and most of all, end the spiral of fatalities from the Covid-19 pandemic.

(Media Statement by DAP MP for Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday, July 1, 2021)

#kerajaangagal150: Malaysia perlu diselamatkan daripada trajektori negara gagal, seperti mana kita menyelamatkan Malaysia daripada trajektori menjadi sebuah kleptokrasi dalam Pilihan Raya Umum ke-14 pada tahun 2018

Malaysia menutup tirai bulan Jun 2021 dengan prestasi yang begitu teruk — kita memintas Jordan dan kini berada di kedudukan ke-35 antara negara dengan jumlah kumulatif kes Covid-19 tertinggi dengan 751,979 kes dan 5,170 kematian.

Menjelang kejohanan Olimpik Tokyo yang dijadualkan bermula 23 Julai hingga 8 Ogos 2021, kita bakal memintas Jepun, yang kini berada di tangga ke-34 dengan 798,159 kes Covid-19 dan 14,740 kematian akibat wabak itu.

Berdasarkan kadar semasa jangkitan Covid-19 di Malaysia, kita dijangka akan memintas Jepun sebelum pertengahan Julai.

Ketika ini, terdapat tiga negara dengan lebih 800,000 kes Covid-19 dan dua negara dengan lebih 900,000 kes.

Jika kadar semasa jangkitan Covid-19 di Malaysia tidak disekat, kita akan menyertai “kelab negara-negara jutawan” dengan lebih sejuta kes Covid-19 menjelang Hari Kebangsaan ke-64 pada 31 Ogos 2021.

Adakah pencapaian ini yang kita mahukan?

Bolehkah Malaysia diselamatkan daripada perpecahan akibat daripada penyebaran berita palsu, pembohongan dan ucapan kebencian yang mengapi-apikan isu perkauman serta keagamaan, dan berubah menjadi negara yang hebat?

Bolehkah Malaysia diselamatkan daripada krisis pandemik Covid-19?

Ada yang mengatakan yang rakyat Malaysia perlu memilih di antara dua pilihan sama ada ingin menjadi penggembala lembu atau penggembala babi.

Rakyat Malaysia tidak mahu menjadi penggembala lembu atau penggembala babi tetapi mahu menjadikan negara ini sebuah negara yang hebat dalam bidang teknologi, memanfaatkan nilai-nilai terbaik dari empat tamadun hebat yang bertemu di Malaysia — untuk membina sebuah sebuah negara berkelas dunia.

Pihak yang mengatakan rakyat Malaysia hanya mempunyai dua pilihan politik iaitu sama ada untuk menjadi pengembala lembu atau penggembala babi telah membuat suatu penaakulan yang salah.

Pun begitu, kita semakin menunjukkan tanda-tanda sedang menuju ke arah negara gagal, seperti yang digambarkan dalam situasi berikut:

– Kegagalan Pelan Pemulihan Negara. Kes Covid-19 diramalkan kekal pada paras sekitar 6,000 kes dalam separuh pertama bulan Julai, sedangkan Malaysia sepatutnya sudah beralih dari Fasa Satu kepada Fasa Dua PPK dengan mencapai nilai ambang di bawah 4,000 kes pada penghujung Jun.

– Malaysia jatuh 35 anak tangga dari kedudukan ke-16 pada Januari 2021 ke kedudukan ke-51 pada Jun 2021 daripada 53 negara dengan nilai ekonomi melebihi paras AS$200 bilion dalam Bloomberg Covid Resilience Ranking.

– Malaysia jatuh 50 anak tangga dari kedudukan ke-85 pada 8 November 2020 antara negara dengan jumlah kumulatif kes Covid-19 tertinggi ke kedudukan ke-35 pada 30 Jun 2021 dalam tempoh hanya 26 minggu.

– Amerika Syarikat, India, Perancis, Rusia, United Kingdom, Itali, Sepanyol dan Jerman yang sebelum ini menunjukkan prestasi buruk, telah menunjukkan prestasi yang lebih baik berbanding Malaysia dalam kategori “jumlah kes harian Covid-19 per sejuta penduduk”.

– Negara-negara yang sebelum ini mencatatkan prestasi Covid-19 yang lebih buruk seperti Amerika Syarikat, India, Perancis, Russia, United Kingdom, Itali, Sepanyol, dan Jerman kini melihat kadar “kematian per sejuta penduduk” yang lebih rendah berbanding dengan Malaysia, dan

– Malaysia tewas kepada China dalam jumlah kumulatif kes Cov-19 dan kematian akibat wabak itu, meskipun China mempunyai jumlah penduduk 44 kali ganda lebih ramai berbanding di Malaysia.

Rakyat Malaysia harus keluar dari trajektori negara gagal, dan ini mampu dicapai seperti mana kita keluar dari trajektori kleptokrasi dalam Pilihan Raya Umum ke-14 pada tahun 2018.

Saya telah mencadangkan moratorium politik untuk tempoh setahun atau dua tahun dan membentuk gabungan “Menang Perang Melawan Covid-19” di semua peringkat masyarakat untuk menyelamatkan rakyat dan negara daripada kehancuran dan kerugian ekonomi.

Kita perlu mencari iltizam politik untuk mengetepikan semua faktor yang menghalang usaha bagi mencari kemenangan dalam melawan wabak ini.

Kempen tanda pagar #kerajaangagal, #KitaJagaKita, #KerajaanBodoh, #BenderaPutih, #PMCirit and #KerajaanCirit di media sosial adalah refleksi dari rasa kecewa, kemarahan, bahkan putus asa terhadap kerajaan yang telah hilang hala tuju ekoran sering membuat dasar flip-flop, melakukan pusingan-U dalam keputusan yang sudah dibuat dan mengamalkan sikap dwi-standard dalam pelaksanaan SOP semata-mata demi kepentingan sendiri berbanding kepentingan negara.

Kita harus mengembalikan halu tuju dan misin negara, bermula dengan strategi untuk memenangkan perang yang panjang, tidak dapat dilihat tetapi amat berbahaya terhadap pandemik Covid-19, yang terdiri daripada unsur-unsur berikut:

– Mengembalikan kepercayaan dan keyakinan masyarakat terhadap strategi negara dalam perang melawan pandemik Covid-19. Kegagalan Rancangan Pemulihan Negara dan pakej ekonomi Pemulih bernilai RM150 bilion dalam perang melawan pandemik Covid-19 adalah disebabkan oleh defisit kepercayaan dan keyakinan masyarakat yang belum pernah terjadi sebelum ini.

– Strategi dan pendekatan “keseluruhan kerajaan” dan “keseluruhan masyarakat ” dalam perang melawan Covid-19, yang jelas tidak wujud selama 18 bulan pandemik Covid-19 mengganas di negara ini.

– “Mentaliti perang” yang perlu dijiwai semua rakyat Malaysia untuk bersatu bagi memenangkan perang melawan pandemik Covid-19, berlandaskan cadangan moratorium dan gabungan yang disebutkan sebelum ini, dengan tumpuan tunggal rakyat Malaysia, termasuk Eksekutif, Parlimen dan semua sektor masyarakat untuk memenangi perang melawan pandemik Covid-19 dan semua pertimbangan lain harus diketepikan sementara demi mencapai objektif ini.

– Menyatukan semua rakyat Malaysia, tanpa mengira bangsa, agama, wilayah atau politik dalam perang melawan pandemik Covid-19 dan menamatkan politik perkauman atau keagamaan yang ekstremis, tidak toleran dan toksik.

– Menyingkirkan anasir-anasir yang menghalang kemenangan perang terhadap pandemik Covid-19 seperti Menteri yang tidak cekap, rasuah dan menamatkan SOP Covid-19 yang bersifat flip-flop, pusingan-U dan dwi-standard.

Harus ada permulaan baru dalam perang melawan pandemik Covid-19 di mana semua perbezaan politik diketepikan buat sementara waktu sehingga negara dapat memenangkan perang melawan Covid-19 bagi menyelamatkan nyawa, mata pencarian dan masa depan ekonomi negara.

Ia harus bermula dengan gabungan “Menang Perang Melawan Covid-19” yang melibatkan semua masyarakat Malaysia, tanpa mengira bangsa, agama, wilayah atau politik, yang dapat menjangkau dan memberikan bantuan kepada setiap rakyat Malaysia yang rentan yang memerlukan bantuan dan mengakhiri statistik purata empat kes bunuh diri setiap hari dalam tempoh tiga bulan pertama tahun ini – dan yang paling penting, menyelamatkan lebih banyak nyawa daripada terkorban akibat pandemik Covid-19.

(Kenyataan Media Ahli Parlimen DAP Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang di Kuala Lumpur pada hari Khamis 1 Julai 2021)

                This entry was posted on Thursday, 1 July 2021, 8:24 am and is filed under
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#kerajaangagal151 –  Minister for Women, Family and Community Development should give a special report to Parliament in July on what the government had done to help the “White Flag” victims  and the rise of suicides because of  Covid-19 pandemic

(Tatal ke bawah untuk kenyataan versi BM)

We have finally come to July, 2021, the last month before the end of emergency on August 1, 2021 but there is no news that the Prime Minister, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin is accepting the decree of the Yang di Pertuan Agong to convene Parliament before August 1, 2021.

The weekly Wednesday Cabinet meeting yesterday was postponed because the Prime Minister was hospitalised for diarrhoea.

We wish the Prime Minister all’s well for being hospitalised for diarrhoea but this should not disable him from agreeing to convene Parliament before August 1.

If the decision is left to the next Cabinet meeting on 7th July, it will be impossible to comply with the Dewan Rakyat Standing Order requirement of the 28 days’ notice for convening Parliament, although there are provisions under Dewan Rakyat Standing Orders 9(2)(a) and 11(2) to dispense with the 28-day notice requirement.

The Dewan Rakyat Speaker, Azhar Azizan Harun and the Senate President, Rais Yatim, have confirmed in their joint statement yesterday that the Yang di Pertuan had told them on Tuesday that Parliament should convene before August 1 to debate the Emergency Proclamation and Ordinance, as well as the National Recovery Plan.

The Parliament meeting that is convened should be a regular parliamentary meeting, with the Official Opening by the Yang di Pertuan Agong on the first day, followed by a debate on the Royal Address, together with other parliamentary matters including the debates on the Emergency Proclamation and Ordinance and the National Recovery Plan – and not a special meeting of Parliament in July and a regular meeting of Parliament at the end of August as suggested by Rais.

Malaysia has been presented with a constitutional conundrum, how to square two important constitutional issues – whether an emergency ordinance is justiciable in the courts and how to repair a violation of the constitutional principle that Parliament cannot be suspended in an emergency.

With the convening of Parliament before August 1, the country can at least move ahead on the constitutional basis of Malaysia being founded on a constitutional monarchy based on parliamentary democracy.

At the July meeting of Parliament, the government should give a full report on its war against the Covid-19 pandemic in the past 18 months and why Malaysia has suddenly catapulted to be one of the world’s worst performing nations in the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Minister for Women, Family and Community Development should also give a full report on what her Ministry had done to help the “White Flag” victims and the rise or suicide particularly this year – the direct results of the government’s mishandling of the Covid-19 pandemic.

(Media Statement (2) by DAP MP for Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang in Kuala Lumpur Thursday, July 1, 2021)

#kerajaangagal151 — Menteri Pembangunan Wanita, Keluarga, dan Masyarakat perlu membentangkan laporan khas ke Parlimen dalam bulan Julai mengenai apa yang kerajaan telah buat untuk membantu mereka yang mengibarkan “bendera putih” meminta bantuan dan juga mengenai peningkatan kadar bunuh diri akibat Covid-19

Akhirnya kita telah sampai ke bulan Julai 2021, bulan terakhir sebelum darurat berakhir pada 1 Ogos 2021, tetapi sehingga kini masih tidak ada sebarang berita yang Perdana Menteri Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin akan memanggil sidang Parlimen sebelum 1 Ogos 2021.

Mesyuarat mingguan Kabinet semalam ditangguhkan kerana Perdana Menteri telah dimasukkan ke hospital kerana cirit-birit.

Kita doakan yang terbaik dan semoga beliau sembuh segera, tetapi perkara ini tidak sepatutnya menghalang beliau untuk bersetuju untuk memanggil sidang Parlimen sebelum 1 Ogos.

Sekiranya keputusan ini dibawa ke mesyuarat Kabinet pada 7 Julai, mustahil untuk kerajaan menepati keperluan notis 28 hari yang diperuntukkan oleh Peraturan Mesyuarat Dewan Rakyat, walaupun terdapat peruntukan di bawah Peraturan Mesyuarat 9(2)(a) dan 11(2) untuk mengetepikan notis 28 hari ini.

Yang di Pertua Dewan Rakyat, Azhar Azizan Harun, dan Yang di Pertua Dewan Negara, Rais Yatim, telah mengesahkan dalam kenyataan bersama mereka semalam bahawa Yang di Pertuan Agong telah menitahkan kepada mereka pada hari Selasa bahawa Parlimen perlu bersidang semula sebelum 1 Ogos untuk membahaskan Proklamasi dan Ordinan Darurat dan juga Pelan Pemulihan Negara.

Sidang Parlimen yang perlu dipanggil ini haruslah mengambil bentuk sidang Parlimen seperti biasa, dengan Pembukaan Rasmi oleh Yang di Pertuan Agong pada hari pertama, diikuti dengan perbahasan titah diraja, dan diikuti dengan perkara-perkara lain yang perlu dibahaskan termasuklah Proklamasi dan Ordinan Darurat dan Pelan Pemulihan Negara — bukan sidang khas pada bulan Julai yang kemudiannya disusuli dengan persidangan penuh pada penghujung bulan Ogos seperti yang dicadangkan Rais.

Malaysia kini berhadapan dengan dilema perlembagaan, bagaimana untuk mengendalikan dua perkara berperlembagaan ini — sama ada ordinan darurat ini boleh dihakimi di mahkamah dan bagaimana untuk memperbaiki pencabulan prinsip perlembagaan bahawa Parlimen tidak boleh digantung dalam tempoh darurat.

Dengan persidangan Parlimen sebelum 1 Ogos, sekurang-kurangnya negara kita boleh terus bergerak ke hadapan dengan asas pembentukan negara yang berteraskan sistem raja berperlembagaan yang berteraskan demokrasi berparlimen.

Dalam sidang Parlimen Julai ini, kerajaan perlu membentangkan laporan penuh mengenai usaha memerangi wabak Covid-19 dalam tempoh 18 bulan yang lepas dan menjelaskan mengapa Malaysia telah terjunam menjadi salah satu negara dengan prestasi terburuk dalam mengendalikan wabak Covid-19 di dunia.

Menteri Pembangunan Wanita, Keluarga, dan Masyarakat perlu membentangkan laporan khas ke Parlimen dalam bulan Julai mengenai apa yang kerajaan telah buat untuk membantu mereka yang mengibarkan “bendera putih” meminta bantuan dan juga mengenai peningkatan kadar bunuh diri akibat Covid-19.

(Kenyataan Media (2) Ahli Parlimen DAP Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang di Kuala Lumpur pada hari Khamis, 1 Julai 2021)

                This entry was posted on Thursday, 1 July 2021, 2:38 pm and is filed under
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#kerajaangagal152:  Verbal support is not good  enough – Rina Harun must set up a special division to address “White Flag” problem  and the rise of suicides because of  Covid-19 pandemic

I welcome the prompt response of the Minister for Women, Family and Community Development Rina Harun to my media statement today calling on  her to give Parliament a full report in July  on what her Ministry had done to help the  “White Flag” victims  and the rise or suicide particularly this year –  the direct results of the government’s mishandling of the Covid-19 pandemic.

So far, she has been conspicuously absent from these two issues although they fall directly within her Ministry.

However, Rina  should know that it is just not good enough for her to express her appreciation  and support for the “white flag” movement, which urges those who need financial help to display a white flag  at their house.

She should realise that the “white flag” movement and the sharp  increase in suicides are  an indictment on her Ministry, and she rise up to the occasion to set up a special division to address these two problems which are the direct result of the government mishandling of the Covid-19 pandemic.

She should  announce the personnel who would be running this division.

She should also work  closely with a parliamentary committee to address  the social effects of the 18-monhth long  Covid-19 pandemic and tour all parliamentary constituencies for this purpose.

This is why the Yang di Pertuan Agong and the Rulers are right that  Parliament and the State Assemblies should be convened immediately.

In fact, the Prime Minister, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin should declare immediately that Parliament and the State Assemblies can be convened before the end the emergency on August 1, 2021 as this will enable states which have fixed State Assembly meetings in August to convene special meetings of the State Assemblies in July on the Covid-19 pandemic.

The pandemic had been wreaking its devastation on the lives of the people, the economy and society particularly in the last six months of the emergency which had not only failed to bring the Covid-19 pandemic under control, but seen Malaysia catapulting to be one of the world’s worst-performing nations in handling the  pandemic.

(Media Statement (3)  by DAP MP for Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang  in Kuala Lumpur Thursday, July 1, 2021)

                This entry was posted on Thursday, 1 July 2021, 7:23 pm and is filed under
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