Putrajaya Getting Free Hand Even In Questionable Covid 19 Decisions

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Putrajaya may insist that the emergency proclamation is purely to combat Covid-19 and is not political but its actions, such as the suspension of the Parliament and state assemblies, suggest otherwise, according to DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng.
He added that with the suspension of the legislature, Putrajaya is no longer being held accountable for its decisions in the Covid-19 battle, some of which are questionable.
Among them, the Bagan MP said, was the decision to scale back on testing people who have come in close contact with Covid-19 patients but are not showing symptoms.
"Can the suspension of Parliament result in Covid-19 magically disappearing? The movement control order (MCO) is the main tool to contain the spread of Covid-19, and not the emergency.
"However, MCO was not as successful as previously due to the government’s double standards.
"Further, abandoning the 3Ts of testing, tracing and treatment, especially full screening tests for all close contacts of Covid-19 patients is wrong," Lim said in a statement today.
He was responding to de facto Law Minister Takiyuddin Hassan who maintained the emergency proclamation, which took effect on Jan 11 and will last until August, was not political. 





Takiyuddin Hassan
Lim said testing, tracing and treatment, including screening of all Covid-19 close contacts, are the most effective strategy and abandoning these principles has raised questions about the government's competency.
He added that the government's flip-flopping on the standard operating procedures (SOPs) for the MCO, such as whether the automotive industry and optometrists can open, also raised concerns.
"Without parliamentary oversight, the cabinet’s mismanagement of the Covid-19 cannot be addressed.
"Huge government procurement contracts can be signed through negotiated tenders without practising open tenders. Parliament will no longer be the platform to highlight public pleas for financial help."
Lim called for parliamentary functions to be restored.
"The suspension of Parliament must be revoked and parliamentary functions restored so that MPs can be the people’s voice to articulate their problems in Parliament.
"It is ironical that an unelected government can carry on as normal but not elected MPs," he said. - Mkini

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