KUALA LUMPUR – The recent surge in Covid-19 cases in the country following the Sabah polls has proven why Putrajaya should hold off plans for a snap general election.
Since Sabah’s campaign period started on September 12, the number of new cases reported nationwide have shown a steady increase before reaching 317 cases yesterday – the highest daily count since the pandemic began.
The spike comes after a surge in travel to and from Sabah for the polls, and attributed to the exponential engagements between voters and campaigners on the ground.
Several leaders have since tested positive for Covid-19, including Deputy Minister of Environment and Water Datuk Ahmad Masrizal Mohamad, Umno information chief Shahril Hamdan and Barisan Nasional’s Pitas candidate Sufian Abd Karim.
Even three Election Commission officers who were involved in the state polls were positive for Covid-19 on Friday.
In addition, ministers and other leaders are either in quarantine or seen attending public events upon their return from Sabah.
Health experts said if the Sabah polls are an indication, holding a general election in the midst of a pandemic will be calamitous, especially when more cases are reported daily.
“To call for a state election in Sabah in itself was ill-advised. But to hold a general election is even more worrying,” public health specialist Prof Dr Rusli Nordin told The Vibes today.
“We cannot afford more spikes in infections. Even in Sabah, we were not able to control (the infection rate). Just imagine what will happen if Malaysians start crossing state borders nationwide.”
Speculations are rife that a snap election may be called as Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin hinted on September 18 that he might do so after Perikatan Nasional (PN) captured Sabah.
PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s recent claim that he had a convincing majority in the Dewan Rakyat to form a new federal government had added to rumours about a snap election.
Dr Rusli said it is imprudent for the federal government to repeat Sabah’s mistake of calling for election.
He warned that a snap election will eventually lead to a nationwide lockdown, similar to the first phase of the movement control order (MCO) implemented in March, which was damaging to the economy.
“Daily cases now have reached triple digits. It’s not impossible that numbers will spike even further (if a general election is held), and the government may be forced to reimpose MCO.
“So, yes, I’m worried, especially knowing that many Malaysians continue to throw caution to the wind in regards to health safety,” he said.
Meanwhile, Thomson Hospital Kota Damansara head of emergency services Dr Mohamed Al-Hadi Mohamed Razhi said holding a general election under the current circumstances is not advisable.
He said any decisions on snap polls should only be made after the Covid-19 containment has drastically improved.
He added the federal government should draw up stricter rules and guidelines than the ones implemented in Sabah.
“For now, it is not a good time (for an election). What we have to do is wait until Covid-19 is under control,” he said. – The Vibes, October 4, 2020
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