Chan
KOTA KINABALU: The Wise Consumers Association Sabah (WCAS) has described the new SOP guidelines for Chinese New Year celebration as logical and good for all Malaysians in this difficult time.
WCAS president David Chan said many consumers in Sabah see the measures as practical and acceptable in many aspects especially in saving lives and protecting the country’s economy especially small businessmen.
“The government is doing everything to protect us. Let’s compromise and do a little sacrifice during our Chinese New Year celebration this year, just like how other celebrants/revellers did during Christmas and New Year celebrations and the previous Hari Raya auspicious occasion,” he added.
Celebrations will always be with us to celebrate but we only have one life, he said.
Hours after the Prime Minister announced the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme Thursday afternoon, opposition critics questioned the government’s logic and sensibility in allowing night markets to open again but barring families from gathering even a night for the customary reunion dinner this Chinese New Year.
Among the new SOPs is that the customary reunion dinner can only involve members of the same household.
In mocking the government, critics including elected representatives suggested jokingly that families could shift their reunion dinners from home to the pasar malam instead, while still complying with Covid-19 regulations.
“Let’s have our CNY reunion dinner and visit each other at pasar malam!” a critic was quoted as saying in Facebook.
Meanwhile, Chan suggested to the local authorities here to immediately make public the locations of vaccination centres in Sabah for people to prepare.
There is also a need for the Health Department and Sabah Covid-19 Committee to release early the guidelines, requirements and other vital information on the coronavirus immunisation exercises, he said.
In welcoming the anouncement of the vaccination rollout made by Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin Thursday, Chan reminded Sabahans not to hesitate to take the double dose Covid-19 vaccine injection when the time comed.
“The Pfizer and BioTech vaccines are safe and has 95% efficacy rate. Our government will not allow any vaccine that will jeopardise the health of the people nor put them and the country in danger,” he said.
With coronavirus disease 2019 still a real threat, he said Sabahans should adopt positive thinking in dealing with the pandemic and trust our leaders both at the Federal and State levels.
“Let’s not allow narrow minded and self-centred individuals/groups to influence and control our life,” he said, adding that the public should be wary of fake news and articles posted in social media mocking government efforts to save lives and the economy of our country.
On the G-15 issue, Chan said lawmakers both in peninsula and Sabah should focus on addressing the pandemic problem.
He said this is the time for every lawmaker, politician, political party, and general public to work in unison to combat the life-threatening invisible enemy called Covid-19.
“Sabah is blessed because our political leaders and their supporters and followers including the public are united with their counterparts in Putrajaya in fighting the health menace,” he said.
In totality, Chan said WCAS fully support the national government’s measures in the fight against coronavirus which has already created lots of inconveniences to the people and badly affected Malaysia’s economy in general.
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