KUALA LUMPUR – There is nothing more an emergency declaration can do to help the government address the Covid-19 pandemic that cannot be done already, said former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
This comes amid rumours of renewed calls for an emergency decree by Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.
Dr Mahathir, in his blog, said the situation in the country does not yet warrant such drastic action, with Malaysia faring better than many other countries.
“In the United States, there are close to 100,000 cases reported each day. Its death toll has passed 200,000, compared to less than 300 here.
“Even compared to our neighbours, we are still performing much better. So, will the absolute power given to the prime minister in the event of an emergency be able to reduce Covid-19 cases further?
“What else can be done by the prime minister with this absolute power during an emergency that cannot be done now?”
Dr Mahathir said there would not have been a Covid-19 resurgence had the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government not forced Sabah into a snap election.
“As a result of the state election, many Sabahans contracted the virus, and those from the peninsular who had travelled there to campaign were also infected.
“What is the need for PN to fight over state power especially as we are grappling against Covid-19?” – The Vibes, November 6, 2020
