02.07.2021

#kerajaangagal154 – Muhyiddin must take quick action to address the “White Flag” phenomenon before Malaysia becomes a “White Flag” country with a “White Flag” government

It is no use denying the “White Flag” phenomenon as is the line adopted  by PAS Ministers and leaders with one PAS Mentri Besar dismissing the #BenderaPutih (white flag) campaign as “political propaganda” while other government  leaders, like the Minister of Local Government and  Housing and the Minister for Women, Family and Community Development saying nice things about the movement while trying to co-opt it.

If the White Flag online campaign is “political propaganda”, it must the first time in Malaysia that such a “political propaganda” does not involve  political parties, and should be fully encouraged.

If the Mahiaddin government fails to take quick action to address the deep-seated causes of the “White Flag” phenomenon, Malaysia will soon become a “White Flag” country with a “White Flag” government.

This is because  it is not just vulnerable individuals, but vulnerable hawkers,  small and medium businesses who will put up their White Flags.

The government’s strategy has failed to bring the Covid-19 pandemic under control and the Economist’s latest “Normalcy Index”, placing Malaysia 50th out of 50 nations, is the latest international indictor that Malaysia has catapulted to be among the world’s worst performing nations in the Covid-19 pandemic as a result of the proclamation of emergency and the suspension of Parliament and the State Assemblies.

Malaysia has new war aims in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic – not just to save lives, but also to save  livelihoods and  protect the national economy and society.

The National Recovery Plan is a plan to eliminate the coronavirus, and not one to live with the coronavirus after  transforming itself from a pandemic to  endemic.

Full lockdowns are not the answer for they kill not only the coronavirus but kill livelihoods and the national economy.

We should apply targetted lockdowns with  different  thresholds for the various states,  based on the state’s population and size.

There should be not be one threshold for a national lockdown.

Yesterday, for instance, 10 of the 13 states in Malaysia have less than 300 cases, viz:

Johore –        270

Kedah –        250

Sabah –        232

Pahang –      195

Penang –       174

Perak           149

Kelantan –     108

Terengganu –  50

Perlis –             1

There must be  more flexible, nimble and even creative responses to the challenges mounted by the war against the Covid-19 pandemic so that we can  save lives, livelihoods, the national economy and society.

A Parliamentary Select Committee on Covid-19 Pandemic should constantly monitor the progress of the war against Covid-19 pandemic which is empowered to initiate  flexible, nimble and creative responses to the challenges of Covid-19 pandemic.

This is why Parliament must be convened ASAP.

Lim Kit Siang

MP for Iskandar Puteri