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Putrajaya has been urged to reveal if the National Security Council (NSC) has considered the economic impact of the Health Ministry's position on travel restrictions.
Bangi MP Ong Kian Ming said if the Health Ministry's position - that inter-district and inter-state travel must be banned until 70 percent of the population is vaccinated against Covid-19 - was adopted by the NSC, then many business owners have a right to know.
"In view that reaching a vaccination rate of 70 percent might take until December at the earliest, then what will be the impact on hotels, hostels, and homestays if travel restrictions are in place till then?" asked Ong in a statement today.
Ong, a former international trade and industry deputy minister, said he personally felt sorry for hospitality businesses that will suffer even more if travel restrictions are continued.
"I feel for the pakcik and makcik selling fruits on the Plus Highway who might suffer more losses if restrictions are extended.
"I symphatise with homestay operators in Bangi, Kuantan, and other areas. I symphatise with young people working in petrol kiosks who lost their jobs because there are not enough customers," he said.
Speaking to the press last Friday, Health Ministry director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said the authorities have learned their lesson from loosening travel restrictions in December last year.
On Dec 7, the government dropped domestic travel restrictions despite a growing number of Covid-19 cases in the Klang Valley.
A month later, Noor Hisham declared that the public health system was at a "breaking point".
Eventually, the authorities resorted to locking down the entire country - sans Sarawak - in mid-January and convinced the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to declare a nationwide emergency which, among others, suspended elections and Parliament. - Mkini

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