ALOR STAR – A state executive councillor and an opposition assemblyman crossed swords in the Kedah assembly today when Dr Ismail Salleh (Pengkalan Kundor-PH) said he was barred from a Covid-19 vaccination centre.
He claimed that a PAS coordinator prevented him from entering the centre in his constituency to serve as a medical volunteer.
State executive councillor Siti Aishah Ghazali (Merbau Pulas-PAS) asked him to withdraw his remarks as his claim had been denied by the centre’s coordinator.
She said Dr Ismail was unwelcome at the centre as he was an opposition rep.
Aishah said the decision to refuse him entry was not the coordinator’s, but was made by the village safety and development committee of the surrounding three villages.
However, Dr Ismail said that he has evidence that he was barred by the coordinator himself. He asked Deputy Speaker Ahmad Fadzil Hashim to allow him to read a WhatsApp message.
However, Aishah refused to give way in allowing time for Ismail, and Fadzil did not allow him to read the text.
Opposition leader Phahrolrazi Nawawi (Alor Mengkudu-PH) requested that Dr Ismail be allowed to substantiate his assertion.
When Fadzil persisted in denying the request, Dr Ismail left the assembly.
Later at a press conference, Dr Ismail said he signed up as a volunteer doctor as part of the national vaccination drive after Kedah’s vaccination rate was reported to be the second worst in the country after Sabah.
Dr Ismail added that he helped register more Kedahans to get their vaccines and had volunteered as a consulting doctor at vaccination centres since June.
He said a vaccination drive was held in his constituency in September. However, while he was allowed to take part in the drive for the first dose, he was barred from the second dose drive on September 29. – The Vibes, November 17, 2021
