Health or economy? Top-level meeting reveals anxiety on balancing act ahead of MCO end
Concerns are raised about a lack of clear narrative on the way forward in fighting the pandemic.
(MalaysiaNow) – A recent meeting of ministers, senior health officials and state government leaders from both sides of the political divide saw a tense discussion on the need to balance between the economy and public health, ahead of the Feb 4 expiry of the movement control order (MCO) to arrest the four-figure surge in Covid-19 infections, MalaysiaNow has learnt.
Questions were also thrown at health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah by Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow, who sought an explanation for speculation that the government would end the MCO next week.
Chow also grilled health ministry officials on the long-term plan to contain the pandemic, with total infections since the virus first hit a year ago fast approaching the 200,000 mark.
“Like governments around the world, Putrajaya is in a dilemma as it steps up its war against the pandemic.
“Which comes first: the effort to protect public health or the effort to ensure that the economy is not paralysed and affecting people in ways that are more serious than Covid-19 would?” a source who is privy to strategies on fighting the deadly virus told MalaysiaNow.
Despite a series of discussions, both ruling and opposition politicians at the meeting felt there was a lack of clear narrative on the way forward in fighting the pandemic.
