KOTA KINABALU – Sabah needs its own laws and resources to manage the Covid-19 pandemic, said Sabah Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Jeffrey Kitingan.
“I understand the need for us to have laws within a year or two to deal with the pandemic and viral diseases.
“At present, we do not have the resources and laws to deal with the problem,” he said.
On Saturday, Borneo Post reported that Kadamaian rep Ewon Benedick and Luyang rep Phoong Jin Zhe submitted a special motion for the state assembly to strengthen the state government’s jurisdiction on health issues.
“With the rising Covid-19 cases and fatalities, slow vaccination rates, critical ward facilities, and standard operating procedure (SOP) implementation that failed to contain the spread of this pandemic, we feel that the state legislature should be a platform for assemblymen to formulate improvements to Sabah’s health administration.
“Therefore, both of us have submitted a motion under Standing Order 31(2) so that a new enactment related to disease control in Sabah is passed and gazetted by the state assembly.
“This will provide better jurisdiction to the state government to manage this pandemic and other health-related matters,” said Ewon and Phoong.
According to them, Sabah Public Health Ordinance 1960 does not cover matters related to the control of infectious diseases, meaning the state government does not have the authority to implement its own SOPs.
Commenting on another issue, Jeffrey said Sabah Star’s representation at the federal level will come eventually.
Currently, the party has no representation in the cabinet.
Sabah Star secretary-general Datuk Guandee Kohoi has been dropped from the new cabinet now led by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri.
He was formerly the deputy culture, arts, and tourism minister in the previous government.
“It might be overlooked. But we hope to have representation in the federal government. It will come eventually,” said the Sabah Star president.
Sabah Star is a component party in Perikatan Nasional. - The Vibes, August 30, 2021
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