KOTA KINABALU – The new Sabah government is not taking charge of Covid-19 handling in the hard-hit state for the sake of maintaining warm ties with Putrajaya, said a state rights activist.
Zainnal Ajamain told The Vibes that public health falls under the concurrent list, meaning state and federal authorities have joint control over it.
“It seems that the state government may not want to rock the boat (when it comes to) Putrajaya.
“The duty of dealing with health issues like this (Covid-19) does not rest solely with the state health director, who, by the way, is a federal officer.
“The power to look into health matters also lies with local governments, of which the (state) minister is Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun. So, what is he doing right now?”
He said the previous Parti Warisan Sabah-headed administration was on the right track with the establishment of the Health and Well-being Ministry.
Zainnal pointed out that the RM50 million virus aid approved by the new Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) government is not meant for health purposes, and questioned the large amount – RM10 million – allocated for food baskets for residents of Kunak, Tawau, Semporna and Lahad Datu, which are under the targeted enhanced movement control order.
“If indeed the state has knowledge of this, where is the PPE (personal protective equipment), or any plan to hold free Covid-19 screening?”
This shows that GRS leaders are leaving it to the federal government to contain the outbreak in the state, he said. – The Vibes, October 8, 2020
