KOTA KINABALU – Sabah Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Jeffrey Kitingan said he has urged for the state of emergency to remain in his audience with the Yang di-Pertuan Agong today.
Jeffrey, who is also Sabah Star president, in an online conference with Yang di-Pertua Agong Al Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah, said he recommended the emergency status be maintained until the health situation in the country stabilises.
The Keningau MP said besides Malaysia, 70 other countries have taken such steps to combat the Covid-19 pandemic.
He said that the current pandemic situation in Malaysia should not be viewed in isolation but rather in comparison with the rest of the world, and that it is unlike any other crisis ever faced by Malaysia before.
“The rest of the problems, including security and politics, will resolve on their own,” he said.
He said precaution should be taken when considering holding any election at this time.
“I also emphasise the lessons we can all take from Sabah, where the snap election in September last year triggered the third wave of the Covid-19 (outbreak) in Malaysia.
“Even after almost nine months, this third wave still has not shown any signs of abating,” he said.
Jeffrey said he also raised concerns to the king about the “extremely slow” vaccination programme in Sabah, citing poor infrastructure and inferior telecommunications systems as among the reasons for the delay.
“There is an urgent need to step up the vaccination awareness programme, and the Sabah government is doing all it can to assist the people, both socially and economically,” he said.
“In my opinion, vaccination centres should be made more accessible, and all public, private and rural health clinics should have access to the vaccine.”
He also suggested that the Health Ministry follow other countries, such as India, by providing mobile vaccinations to spearhead the drive in rural areas.
The king is scheduled to meet the heads of other royal households at a special Conference of Rulers meeting tomorrow.
This comes on the heels of several meetings he held with leaders of various political parties and the prime minister over the past week.
Earlier today, he had also granted an audience to Special Independent Emergency Committee (SIEC) chairman Tun Arifin Zakaria. – The Vibes, June 15, 2021
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