Prof Datuk Dr Nasruddin Mohammed, from the Faculty of Administrative Science and Policy Studies, Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM), said that priority should be given to efforts and measures collectively to control the Covid-19 threat from continuing to push people further into hardships. – Bernama file photo
KUALA LUMPUR (Aug 20): The appointment of Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob as the country’s ninth Prime Minister today is expected to form a leadership that will continue and step up efforts in combating the Covid-19 pandemic.
Prof Datuk Dr Nasruddin Mohammed, from the Faculty of Administrative Science and Policy Studies, Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM), said that priority should be given to efforts and measures collectively to control the Covid-19 threat from continuing to push people further into hardships.
He said that the new administration needed to consider its role in a more aggressive manner, apart from requiring a specific approach to face the pandemic threat plaguing the country.
“Perhaps, the new government can propose collective participation from various political parties, by means of strategic cooperation and relations that are fully utilised to help the government and the country, managing the Covid-19 threat.
“Among others, the appropriate approach may involve the strengthening of non-governmental organisations, such as charitable bodies and volunteers, to enable them to support the country’s new leadership,” he said when contacted by Bernama today.
Meanwhile, political analyst, Dr Muhammad Fuad Othman, said with the appointment of Ismail Sabri as the new prime minister, all previous government policies and machinery, especially in the fight against Covid-19, could be continued to ensure all efforts to yield the desired results.
Muhammad Fuad from College of Law, Government and International Studies, Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM), said it was also hoped that efforts to achieve herd immunity are expedited, so that the community and the country could recover as quickly as possible.
He also expressed hope that vaccinations in the states outside the Klang Valley will be intensified, to help create a threshold value of 70 per cent for the country, apart from to control category three (patients) and above, more effectively.
He said that the mobilisation of various parties and the implementation of an integrated strategy would help a lot as the country had a strong and professional work team, as well as optimum utilisation of public and private facilities.
Ismail Sabri, who is Umno vice-president, was appointed as the country’s 9th Prime Minister after receiving the consent of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah, with the support of 114 MPs.
Ismail Sabri, 61, who was previously the deputy prime minister, was appointed to the post following the resignation of Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin on Aug 16, after the latter failed to command majority support of the Members of the Dewan Rakyat. – Bernama