KOTA KINABALU – Commenting on Malaysia’s sluggish progress in vaccinating the people, Warisan president Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal said he wishes political leaders would have the same tenacity and drive now as they do during elections.
The former Sabah chief minister said politicians would venture to far-flung areas to woo voters during poll campaigns, but that same determination is gone when it comes to the Covid-19 vaccination programme.
“In every election, they can find voters. They can go all over the country to find them. Give them (people) money as tokens and even offer them transport if they can’t make the journey to vote.
“Now we are talking about human lives, and they no longer can do what they did during the polls,” said the Semporna MP during a livestream event called Unity Talk last night.
He claimed that politicians left it to the MySejahtera app mechanism to get people registered for jabs.
Stressing that not all Malaysians have access to the internet or smart devices to register, and that even the online systems are flawed, he proposed automatic registration for vaccination.
“I came across an instance of a man in Kota Kinabalu being told to receive his shot in Kudat in the northern part of Sabah, and also another case where they were told to go to the peninsula,” he said.
Towards this end, Shafie proposed that the duty of inoculation be delegated to the ministries, agencies, and even the military.
“Give them three months to do the inoculation, rope in the universities or the education (institutions), and the military, which already has its own medical doctors, to do inoculations.
“We delegate the work. Don’t make it complicated (as it is now).
“Don’t go around opening schools without any doses, and then decide to impose a lockdown when the numbers spike, and reopen (schools) when things are good again,” he said.
Shafie said the government can allow the private sector to purchase vaccines as well, with those without the resources to be subsidised by the government.
“We need to have an ample supply of vaccines – RM6 billiion for vaccines alone. The government should not mind spending more.
“Then plan on how to distribute them. I admit the distribution will not be easy, but it is doable,” he said.
Shafie also maintained that the current national emergency ruling is not needed, pointing out that the number of infections still continues to rise despite the lockdown.
Besides, he said, the emergency has seen Malaysians already pressured by the pandemic being hauled in by the authorities.
He added that the people have no recourse to voice their concerns and suggestions over the pandemic.
Shafie said that the closure of Parliament, which should allow elected MPs to voice the people’s concerns, also makes the situation worse.
“They cannot voice their grouses anymore, and if they do, they will be interrogated,” he said. “They have no platform. They can’t even organise peaceful demonstrations. So they have to rely on social media.
“But it seems their voices are not heard, and even if they are , the decision-makers may not listen to them,” he said.
Shafie stressed that Parliament should be allowed to meet so issues can be raised there. – The Vibes, June 10, 2021
