If Muhyiddin is not careful, Covid-19 will sink the Perikatan Nasional government
The perception is very bad. And at the end of the day, that is what matters, the perception. And much of this perception is not because of the infection and death figures (which are actually quite “decent”), but the result of what the government is saying and doing. And what the government is saying and doing gives the impression it does not know what it is saying and doing.
NO HOLDS BARRED
Raja Petra Kamarudin
In the early stages of the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic, the UK, Italy, France, Germany, and many European countries did not know what to do. This pandemic was something new and no one had any experience in how to manage the crisis.
In fact, Britain made many mistakes, and this resulted in an increase in the number of deaths — in particular in the care-homes where the old folks were living. One care-home saw 16 deaths in the space of just 24 hours.
Today, there are almost 4.5 million Covid cases in the UK with about 128,000 deaths. Even then, some say the actual figures may be higher because many Covid-19 deaths are not reported as Covid-19 deaths.
Britain is beginning to come back to normal
Now, the fact that UK’s population is just double that of Malaysia, that would make Malaysia seem far better by comparison. Going by UK’s “standards”, Malaysia should have seen 2.5 million cases and 70,000 deaths. But Malaysia is only 10% of UK’s figures in terms of cases and slightly over 1.3% in terms of deaths.
Yes, Malaysia is 10% of the cases and 1.3% of the deaths compared to the UK, which is double Malaysia’s population. Hence, in that sense, Malaysia is excellent compared to the UK.
But what about the economic situation? Well, the UK is spending money like there is no tomorrow to help the 67 million British population. Small businesses are receiving thousands in government grants to help them stay afloat.
The British government is helping small businesses to stay afloat
Yes, the Council tax which we have pay here is very high. House owners or residents are paying almost RM10,000 per year in Council tax (plus we pay 20% GST and 20% income tax). But now the Council is giving small businesses back that money in grants.
But then, UK’s GDP to debt ratio is about 100% (compared to Malaysia’s only 66%). And once the Covid-19 pandemic is over, and life comes back to normal, be prepared for taxes to be increased drastically.
Hence, in the not too-distant future, we shall be paying for the “lavish” spending today. And the government has warned us about the tax increase that is coming to pay for today’s spending due to Covid-19.
Malaysians do not care that Malaysia’s infection and death figures are excellent compared to the UK. Malaysians do not care that more people die due to traffic accidents than those who die of Covid-19.
READ MORE HERE: Are You Listening Mr Prime Minister?
We can argue that 30,000 people get hurt in traffic accidents while 7,000 die in these traffic accidents every year. Hence, compared to 30,000 Covid-19 cases and 1,700 Covid deaths, traffic accidents are more of a problem than Covid-19 is.
I mean, Covid-19 has been around for just over the last 18 months while people have been injured and killed in traffic accidents for three generations. (It is estimated that more than 250,000 people have died from traffic accidents over the last 30 years alone since 1990).
Yes, there are so many arguments we can use to prove that Malaysia’s Covid-19 problem is not that bad, and maybe even better compared to the UK, or compared to traffic accidents. But Malaysians do not care about statistics or about comparison studies. Malaysians care about what they see and what they perceive.
And what they see or perceive is that the Perikatan Nasional government or Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin does not know what to do and are running around in circles. The government seems to be clueless and are contradicting themselves, and contradicting each other, every step of the way.
The perception is very bad. And at the end of the day, that is what matters, the perception. And much of this perception is not because of the infection and death figures (which are actually quite “decent”), but the result of what the government is saying and doing. And what the government is saying and doing gives the impression it does not know what it is saying and doing.
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NYAWA RAKYAT LEBIH PENTING DARI SURVIVAL POLITIK
Kerajaan Pusat perlu menggunakan kuasa-kuasa diperuntukan dengan proklamasi darurat sepenuhnya untuk mengawal penularan pandemik Covid-19.
Walau bagaimanapun kerajaan dilihat teragak-agak dan tidak tegas seolah-olah bimbang dengan kecaman-kecaman dan kritikan-kritikan terhadap mereka.
Untuk menyelamatkan nyawa rakyat, kerajaan perlu melakukan apa sahaja yang perlu walaupun tindakan-tindakan dan langkah-langkah tersebut tidak popular.
Selepas lima hari PKP diisytiharkan di Lembah Kelang dan beberapa daerah yang lain, namun tidak kelihatan perbezaan yang drastik di antara PKP dan sebelum PKP.
Hari ini kerajaan seperti lebih mementingkan survival politik selepas darurat berakhir. Kami berharap kerajaan perlu membuat keputusan yang mana satu perlu diutamakan, survival politik atau menyelamatkan nyawa?
Sekiranya keadaan menjadi seperti di India, maka akan berlaku tindakbalas dari rakyat dan jika diadakan pilihan raya umum kerajaan hari ini akan tumbang.
Sekiranya pandemik ini dapat dikawal dengan jayanya maka rakyat sudah tentu akan berterima kasih kepada kerajaan dan ini akan diterjemahkan pada peti-peti undi.
Mereka yang mengecam dan mengkritik akan terus mengecam dan mengkritik walau apa sahaja yang dilakukan oleh kerajaan. Nyawa rakyat itu lebih penting dari memuaskan hati mereka.
Darurat telah diisytiharkan. Pelbagai perintah kawalan telah diumumkan. Pastikan ia dikuatkuasakan dengan tegas dan adil iaitu kepada setiap rakyat Malaysia tanpa ada pilih kasih.
Biarkan mereka yang mencari nombor terus mencari nombor, biarkan “pakar-pakar” terus bersyarah di dalam TikTok dan biarkan “haters” terus dengan pelbagai hashtag. Kerajaan perlu lakukan yang betul dan bukan yang popular.
Dato’ Iskandar Abdul Samad
Ketua Penyelaras
Pusat Sumber Untuk Kemajuan Masyarakat Dan Perumahan ( REACH )
