KUALA LUMPUR – Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob may have given his cabinet a score of 90% in his first 100 days in power, but he is not scoring any brownie points from the medical fraternity over a four-day programme to celebrate his government’s feats.
The 100-Day Aspirasi Keluarga Malaysia programme – which was launched yesterday and runs till Sunday at Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC) – has been lambasted by various quarters over its lack of compliance with standard operating procedures (SOPs).
The latest to slam the organising of the event is the Malaysian Medical Association, which queried whether the government is attempting to increase the number of Covid-19 infections as its latest targeted milestone.
“Is pushing up the number of Covid-19 cases part of the key performance indicators for the next 100 days? Looking at the programme, it would seem so,” its president Dr Koh Kar Chai said in a statement today.
“It seems that garnering publicity is on overdrive now, although we are still staring at both the Delta and Omicron variants in this country.”
Dr Koh said despite the country still encouraging the public to take booster shots to stave off infections, it appears there are those in positions of responsibility in the government who want the pandemic to stay.
He said it is especially hypocritical of the government to organise a large-scale event in the midst of the pandemic, and yet bar processions for religious purposes, as well as protests against rising food prices.
“This is like saying the virus is selective in who it wants to infect,” he said.
During yesterday’s launch of the 100-Day Aspirasi Keluarga Malaysia, thousands of Malaysians had thronged KLCC to attend the programme – ignoring SOPs, and with social distancing non-existent.
This is despite the risk of the highly-transmissible Omicron variant, which has reached the country’s shores.
Meant to commemorate the 100th day of federal administration under Ismail Sabri, it saw the unveiling of a “report card” on the achievements of the government.
The event had sparked anger and ridicule not only because of the irresponsible invitations and poor compliance with SOPs, but also because important cultural events like Thaipusam and Chingay are being disallowed.
The programme was held mere days after National Unity Minister Datuk Halimah Mohamed Sadique announced that the Thaipusam chariot and Chingay processions early next year are banned, although this decision is now being reviewed. – The Vibes, December 10, 2021
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