Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr James Jemut Masing
KUCHING (May 31): Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr James Masing has sent an urgent appeal to the federal government to speed up Covid-19 vaccination in Sarawak after losing his brother and sister in-law to the virus.
Jantai, 63, died in Kapit today, a few days after his wife succumbed to the virus.
Revealing that Kapit Hospital was at breaking point due to the surge of Covid-19 cases, Masing, who is a deputy chief minister, said the only way to save Kapit and Sarawak from Covid-19 is through the vaccine.
“The faster this government can roll out the vaccine, the better! The rolling out of vaccine should be our number one priority!
“Putrajaya must assist Sarawak in this fight. Sarawak has the funds. We are willing to use it! Please do not make economic considerations or red tape as obstacles to save human lives. Don’t just talk. Do it,” Masing said in a statement after visiting Jantai’s son Nicholas Kudi in Kapit.
Masing said Nicholas, who is a political secretary to the chief minister, did not suffer from the virus although he had looked after his parents because he had been vaccinated.
“My nephew was saved as he cared for his parents, because he had been vaccinated. So were the front-liners. They are able to carry out their work because they had been vaccinated!” Masing said.
“Listening to his (Nicholas’) ordeal watching his parents die in Kapit Hospital because of Covid-19 was horrible. It’s a vision we see in our nightmares.”
Masing pointed out Kapit Hospital is running out of intensive care unit beds and the facilities required to treat Covid-19 patients.
“The front-liners, the nurses and the doctors, in Kapit Hospital are exhausted, including the undertakers who bury the dead. They are trying their best to fight the horrors of this deadly devastation by Covid-19 to people in Kapit.
“What is happening in Kapit Hospital now, will soon will be similar to what we see in India where hundreds die on hospital hallways,” said Masing, stressing the need for vaccination to achieve herd immunity against the virus.
According to the State Disaster Management Committee’s Covid-19 update today, Kapit has recorded 2,613 Covid-19 cases and 23 fatalities. There are still 2,891 persons-under-investigation in the district.