GEORGE TOWN – Former Penang chief minister Lim Guan Eng did not mince his words when he narrowed down the cause behind the spike of Covid-19 numbers – with a record high of 39 deaths in the state yesterday – to the health exco Dr Norlela Ariffin.
“Anyone who dares to say that Penang has done well in the battle against Covid-19 is like an ostrich in the sand, doing a gross disservice to those who have died from Covid-19, particularly the 400 people who may have been saved if only the vaccines had arrived earlier.
“The people of Penang do not need apologists of the federal government but leaders who can fulfil their electoral mandate to defend and speak up for the interests of Penangites to save precious lives and livelihoods.
“By undertaking every effort to make up for the shortcomings or failures of the federal government, only then can the state government give recognition to those who have unnecessarily lost their lives from Covid-19,” he said in a statement.
He questioned the job of a state exco who willingly accepts and is obedient to what the federal government offers when the state cannot achieve complete first-dose vaccinations before Merdeka Day.
The Bagan MP contrasted Penang’s statistics with Selangor’s, where it has achieved a first vaccination dose of 112% of its adult population while Penang has only achieved 85.6%.
He also drew another comparison where 94.1% of Selangor’s adult population has been fully inoculated, compared with Penang’s 59%.
“The Selangor government refused to rely on the federal government’s promise and went ahead with purchasing vaccines.
“Unlike in Selangor, Penang did not aggressively pursue appointing the Operation Surge Capacity (OSC) co-ordinator, which would facilitate both federal and state government in avoiding vaccine supply disruption,” said Lim.
The state administration had earlier reasoned that the federal government through the Covid-19 Immunisation Task Force (CITF) had assured that the supply of vaccines will be provided adequately.
However, Lim panned their excuse, pointing out that there is a need to differentiate the efforts of the Penang health exco and the “failed” federal administration.
Otherwise, this could lead the rakyat to blame the state government for the failed Covid-19 response, especially when seeing the poor support service for coronavirus patients.
“Let me stress that we appreciate and value the sacrifices of our frontliners, but the federal government has failed them by not providing sufficient resources and manpower, including by taking in contract medical officers,” he said.
The DAP secretary-general noted that many Penangites have complained about the lack of ambulances, unanswered hotlines, poor facilities at Covid-19 Assessment Centres, lack of health support in addressing treatment and concerns, and insufficient supply of jabs at vaccine administration centres.
He stated that Dr Norlela needs a “vigorous approach” to demonstrate what she has done differently from Putrajaya.
Lim also highlighted the steep jump in deaths due to Covid-19 from nine in 2021 to 627 by September 2.
“Of greater concern is that many of the deaths occurred during the last 22 days. For the year 2021, there were 258 deaths by August 11. However, 22 days later, from August 11 to September 2, the number of deaths has increased by 369.
“In other words, the number of people in Penang dying from Covid-19 in the last 22 days is 1.5 times more than those who died from Covid-19 during the nearly seven and a half months this year.”
However, he attributed the high death rates to the federal government’s failure in handling the Covid-19 pandemic and delays in procurement and delivery of vaccines. – The Vibes, September 3, 2021
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