‘It is difficult for those whose finances are secured like VVIPs, Ministers, politicians and the civil servants to understand that there are communities going to bed hungry and others traumatized how they are going to manage another day, pay rent, loans, and workers or stay afloat?”
WHEN POLITICIANS & THE LEADERSHIP DON’T WALK THE TALK ITS FRIGHTENING, HEARTBREAKING AND EMBARRASSING SAYS MALAYSIA ASEAN APEC LEAD CONSUMERIST PROF DR JACOB GEORGE.
It is a fact that Covid-19 spread is already in the community!
My dear friend and Defence Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob has already stated that the entire country, except for Sarawak, will come under a second full movement control order (MCO 2.0) from Jan 22.
In an earlier statement, he also stated the current protocols initiated demands everyone to follow diligently and no exceptions given to any quarter!
Health Ministry director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah has also rightly reminded Malaysians from all walks of life to follow standard operating procedures (SOPs).
He is reported to have stated:
“I would like to remind myself and the people regardless of pangkat (position), ethnicity and other (categories) to follow SOPs.
“You are advised to stay at home if you do not have important matters (outdoors) because Covid-19 is already in the community and it is spreading.
“But if you have important matters (outdoors) please ensure we adhere to SOPs – wear a mask at all times, wash your hands and maintain a physical distance of at least one metre,” he said at the end of his Covid-19 briefing recently.
Brilliant advice it is, but are the VVIPs, politicians the corridors of power following them?
Have some sensitivity for our first responders and front-liners!
The reality is while the common man and women followed except a certain recalcitrant community, the worst offenders have been those who have been preaching to us as VVIPs, leaders, politicians and members of the sitting government!
Many are currently falling ill like dominoes with Covid-19!
Perhaps, it is divine repudiation?
It is no secret with the evidence of photographs making its rounds and the news of the current political persona joining the Covid 19 statistics.
So please share with us the common folks which part of the Covid 19 protocol of:
- Wear a mask at all times,
- Wash your hands and
- Maintain a physical distance of at least one metre, you did not understand?
Is this a just a ‘political technical glitch’ or political high-handedness and arrogance showed from day one of the infection spread in 2020?
And will these politicians be expecting special treatment and privileges by an already exhausted and stretched community of first responders and front-liners at our public hospitals?
Will they bring in their “political office and runners” into the hospital eco-system as well, putting the entire hospital community at risk?
This is a very serious question put forward!
The facts speak for themselves.
We say the country is under MCO but just look at Selangor, the current title holder for the highest Covid-19 infections, as I had predicted in September last year after monitoring community behavior and responses in the state to protocols.
It is business as usual.
The traffic jams are back all over!
There is a total disregard of protocols.
Even foreigners and foreign-workers, I am speaking of both legal and illegals walking around as if their bodies contain the necessary antibodies to prevent infection?
And then we are also churning out standard operating procedures that makes no economic, social and business sense and the sudden zig zags or claims that one is consulting the “Ministry of Health” is becoming comical.
I have been addressing healthcare issues from 1982 and from my experience and track record, while MOH in all fairness are expected to have answers to healthcare administration they are not super experts on all matters!
They have their own set of shortcomings and issues and we will not go into that here!
So if policies are going to be made which will impact social, business and others eco-systems let us be professional enough to rope in a taskforce of respected stakeholders who have been addressing such issues and with their input – plan an action platform that will not make victims of an already victimized and bleeding community and business interest.
It is difficult for those whose finances are secured like VVIPs, Ministers, politicians and the civil servants to understand that there are communities going to bed hungry and others traumatized how they are going to manage another day, pay rent, loans, and workers or stay afloat?
And when the community returns fire with such responses as hashtag #SiBodohKauDengarSini (Listen here, idiot), we claim to be shocked?
And shocked at what, our own stupidity?