GEORGE TOWN – Instead of a nationwide lockdown, the federal government should consider targeted ones, as its current strategy is suffocating the country.
Pulau Tikus assemblyman Chris Lee said the approach to contain the Covid-19 pandemic should be more targeted and surgical, “just like what the Finance Ministry is doing with the requests for loan moratoriums”.
“We cannot have a full movement control order that suffocates the entire country.
“Those who are not at fault are forced to suffer. We need to ensure only areas with Covid-19 clusters are placed under lockdown. Each district is different from the other.”
Lee told The Vibes that he is making a plea on behalf of B40 and M40 groups, who are on the verge of despair, adding that the government must face reality – the lockdown is not working.
“If we take Selangor out of the total number of daily Covid-19 cases, Malaysia has fewer than 4,000 daily cases. This means we can move on to the next phase (of the National Recovery Plan, or NRP).”
He said the imaginary threshold is counterproductive when the approach should be data-driven, and areas under lockdown are the ones with the highest number of cases and infectivity rates.
Basic economic activities should be restored in green-zone districts, and surveillance mechanisms, such as mass testing and vaccination, ramped up, he added.
Penang Malaysian Trades Union Congress secretary K. Veeriah said the government has no choice but to provide additional funds to those suffering due to the pandemic.
“We are of the view that dipping into the Employees Provident Fund is not the right thing to do as that is the people’s retirement savings. If they are forced to withdraw now, what savings do they have to rely on later?”
He said those who lost their jobs or suffer from significant pay cuts since last year should be made eligible for a monthly aid of RM1,200.
Yesterday, Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said the nationwide lockdown will not end today, adding that Phase 1 of the NRP will continue until the daily Covid-19 caseload falls below 4,000.
“The government will announce more comprehensive assistance for all levels of society on Monday (today) or Tuesday (tomorrow).
“There will be aid for the B40 and M40 groups, and in a few cases, the T20, such as a loan moratorium. This is a more comprehensive plan than the one announced previously.” – The Vibes, June 28, 2021
