Press Statement by Wong King Wei:
Padungan State Assemblyman Wong King Wei concurs with the Sarawak State Government in not reopening most economic sectors from May 4.
The current phase of Movement Control Order (MCO) is scheduled until May 12, and the government would not have extended the MCO until the set date, if not for the need to break the chain of Covid-19 infection, he said.
“When the Federal Government set the date at May 12 to lift the MCO, it indicates that there is such a need for putting a stop to the spread of Covid-19.
“Since the need is there, if we reopen most economic sectors earlier than May 12, what should happen to all the efforts we have put in for the last six weeks or so?” he asked.
When most economic activities restarted, Wong said the country would see a large volume of movement among not just customers and the public, but also employees, who were expected to return to work.
He wondered what role MCO would serve when the movement of the people could not be restricted.
“Given this, I would say that the Sarawak State Government has made a wise decision to maintain the status quo in the state of Sarawak,” he said.
Wong held the opinion that State Cabinet Ministers should not interfere in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic, but leave it to the medical professionals to do their job.
He said the Sarawak State Government ought to emulate its counterpart in Semenanjung Malaysia by leaving all Covid-19-related tasks to medical professionals such as doctors.
“Let the doctors, who are the experts make the decision. I urge Local Government and Housing Minister Dato Sri Prof Dr Sim Kui Hian to pull himself out of the medical team, and let the professionals do their job and make decisions in a professional manner without any political interference,” he added.
Although Dr Sim Kui Hian used to be a cardiologist, Sarawak would not want to see too much political forces in the state’s fight against the Covid-19 crisis, Wong said.
“Look at the Federal level, Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba does not interfere in the Covid-19 combat work carried out by Director-General of Health Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah,” he said.
