Parti Rakyat Sarawak defends attack on Dr Noor Hisham

(The New Sarawak) – PARTI Rakyat Sarawak president Tan Sri Dr James Jemut Masing has defended his Progressive Democratic Party counterpart Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing’s criticisms of Health Director-General in the Dewan Rakyat yesterday.

Masing, who is also Deputy Chief Minister, said director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah ought to go to the ground to know the best solution in tackling the third wave of Covid-19 pandemic.

Using a war analogy, Masing said a general would normally go to the battlefield to understand the best strategy to fight the enemy, in this case, the Covid-19.

“Datuk Seri Tiong has a point. In a new battlefield of fighting Covid-19 pandemic, the general involving in the fight must familiarise himself with the ground situations. In this way the leader can feel and see for himself the hardship his soldiers are facing as the frontliners in fighting Covid-19,” Masing said in a statement, Dayak Daily reported.

Masing however stressed that Tiong’s criticism could have been uttered in a much better manner.

“But his point is made. And if indeed the DG didn’t go to the ground zero, my argument still stands….as a general, he must see the battlefield where his soldiers are fighting the enemies,” Masing reiterated.

Bintulu MP Tiong yesterday accused Dr Noor Hisham as “afraid to die” for not coming down personally to Sabah to monitor the Covid-19 situation.

His remarks prompted an outcry in the Dewan Rakyat with lawmakers protesting the statement made by Tiong when debating the Budget 2021.

He said Dr Noor Hisham “takut mati” because he did not come down to Sabah and did not declare a lockdown in prison.

Tiong also questioned the DG’s reluctance to visit hospitals and assist those on the front line while accusing him of only hogging the news.