GEORGE TOWN – Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow hopes the National Security Council (NSC) will consider moving the state into Phase 2 of the National Recovery Plan (NRP) as nearly 10% of its adult population have been fully vaccinated.
The Tanjong MP on his social media account said the Special Committee on Covid-19 Vaccine Supply Access Guarantee (JKJAV) has confirmed that as of today, Penang has reached its threshold of having 10% of its population double-dosed.
“This also means that the state has fulfilled the three conditions required to move into the second phase of the recovery plan where more sectors of the economy can reopen.”
Chow said that the prospects of Penang moving into the second phase, with some quarters speculating it to be as early as Thursday, will be discussed in a special meeting with NSC tomorrow.
The island state has up to 70% of its estimated 1.7 million-strong population registered for the vaccines, which are currently being dispensed at some 15 locations statewide.
The three requirements to move into the second phase are that 10% of the population have to be fully vaccinated, the state infection rate at less than 40 per 100,000 people, and the intensive care units (ICUs) are not strained.
According to the original government announcement on June 15, Malaysia will move into Phase 2 after daily cases drop below the 4,000 mark, ICU capacity is at a “moderate” level, and at least 10% of the population is inoculated.
Phase 2 allows for economic sectors like the manufacturing industry to operate at limited capacity.
Meanwhile, Penang PKR vice-chairman Jason Ong Khan Lee has lambasted the health authorities for not responding to the challenges of fighting a resurgent virus, namely the arrival of the highly infectious variants due to rapid mutations.
Citing the Delta variant, Ong said that the ministry must adopt new measures such as using newly designed equipment for better self-sanitisation and clean-up of infected areas to prevent reinfection.
“Such equipment has been provided to Malaysia, yet the health authorities are slow to respond, and are instead continuing to rely on strategies that have failed in the past.”
He also said the authorities should make early preparations prior to imposing tighter lockdowns such as the enhanced movement control order (EMCO) as people generally flee areas where strict lockdowns are being imposed.
“We are humans and the majority of us do not like to be caged. So, if an EMCO is enforced, people will flee,” said Ong after reports surfaced that many foreigners have fled Taman Nagasari in Bukit Mertajam, which is under EMCO. – The Vibes, July 4, 2021
