KUALA LUMPUR – Ministers and VIPs flouting standard operating procedures (SOPs) have been counterproductive in the fight against Covid-19, said Science, Technology, and Innovation Minister Khairy Jamaluddin.
Khairy admitted that the behaviour and missteps of several of his cabinet colleagues have made it more difficult to ensure the public adheres to the lockdown and SOPs such as wearing masks and social distancing.
Headlines about government ministers flouting the rules have damaged the credibility of the latest lockdown, Khairy told Australian media.
“Leadership by example is very important. I think on that score, we have made some errors there,” he told The Age and Sydney Morning Herald in a teleconference interview today.
International Trade and Industry Senior Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali, Federal Territories Minister Tan Sri Annuar Musa, Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Khairuddin Aman Razali, and Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Economy) Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed are among ministers in Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s cabinet who are being investigated or compounded for breaching health SOPs, including quarantine.
In the midst of rising death rates despite a successful initial response to the Covid-19 pandemic, Malaysia now has among the fastest vaccination rates in the world, administering 400,000 doses a day.
Khairy said the government has been able to accelerate inoculation after two months renegotiating the supply and delivery of vaccines purchased, 70% of which are Pfizer-BioNTech.
“Most of our portfolio is Pfizer and then we spread our bets,” said Khairy, who is in charge of vaccine roll-out.
“We decided early on that it would be dangerous to put our eggs in one or two baskets.
“I think we are at the stage now where we really need to vaccinate ourselves out of the situation that we have found ourselves in,” the minister said.
On Malaysia’s response so far, which has seen a spike in cases and deaths despite earlier successes in containing the virus, Khairy said no response anywhere in the world has been perfect.
“Countries that were successful at suppressing and containing cases have seen their bubbles burst. And I think if you look at countries that are doing well now, you can arguably say that they were doing much, much worse before, and they’ve been saved by early arrivals of vaccines.
“Of course, we could have done certain things better. And also, after a while, it’s very difficult to get the public to adhere to the (restrictions) simply because of fatigue.
“And I’m not blaming the public here. Because to observe these very, very unnatural limitations and restrictions on your behaviour or your movements (is difficult). Eventually, there will be a time where people just let their guard down,” he added. – The Vibes, July 15, 2021
