Press statement by MP for Stampin and DAP Sarawak Chairman, Chong Chieng Jen on 3 June 2021:

Yesterday, UK was reported to have recorded zero death from Covid-19. It may be just a one-day figure but it definitely tells of things turning around for the better in UK which had been one of the countries hardest hit by the Covid-19 pandemic.

On the contrary, yesterday, we, in Malaysia, recorded 126 Covid-19 deaths, so far, the highest single-day death from Covid-19.

While the total population of UK is approximately 67 million which is more than double that of Malaysia, its new Covid-19 infection case yesterday was 3,165 as compared to our 7,703 new infection cases yesterday. In Sarawak, we recorded the third highest number of new infection cases amongst all states and territories in Malaysia.

When things are getting better in other countries, we are going the opposite direction. These figures can only point to one conclusion, ie. the PN Government has failed us Malaysian and the GPS Government has failed us Sarawakian. That is why the internet tagline of “KerajaanPNGagal” is gaining more shares and tags now.

The turnaround in the pandemic situation in other countries is possible solely because of an effective and efficient vaccination program. On the contrary, we are still stuck with the slow appointment dates of the MySejahtera software program, slow supply of vaccines and the confusing MCO SOPs.

Since February, 2021, we have been hearing the State Government talking about purchasing vaccines on its own. Then, suddenly after 3 months of the GPS Government talking about purchasing vaccines for Sarawakians, recently on 28-5-2017, Khairy the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation told Sarawak that Sarawak will be allocated a total 4.4 million doses of vaccines to be delivered by weekly batches of 380,000 doses starting June.

With that announcement, all plans to purchase vaccines by the State Government is now suddenly put aside. We are now in the 3 rd day of June and yet we are still hearing nothing from the Government on when the first batch of those 380,000 doses will arrive and how is the Government going to step up the vaccination rate from the current rate of less than 10,000 doses per day to the targeted 50,000 doses per day.

For the sake of our people, our lives and our economy, I urge both the Federal and State Government to get serious with and step up the rollout of the mass vaccination program. It has been tested and proven in other countries to be the effective way to fight the pandemic and our government should not be sitting on their laurels with the current slow progress.