Andrew Lo
KUCHING (May 8): The Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) Sarawak has expressed concerns about the way Kuching South City Council (MBKS) assesses its daily key performance indicator (KPI) on Covid-19’s standard operating procedures (SOP) compliance.
MTUC Sarawak secretary Andrew Lo said the KPI must be fair and equitable; otherwise, it could lead to selective issuance of summonses, such as the MBKS staff would simply go after easy targets – usually, those from low-income and disenfranchised groups.
“It’d be just like how the police would target motorbikes at roadblocks, but would only wave luxury cars by,” he told The Borneo Post here.
Lo suggested that the targets of summonses should be broken down according to localities, the target populace and types.
“The target localities must be spread out to pubs, markets, Ramadan bazaars, factories, offices and coffee-shops, among other operations; while the target populace is to be determined by areas including the most frequented places or high net-worth places.
“The types (of summonses) would include those issued for not wearing face masks or for not observing social distancing.
“This should be done; otherwise, the MBKS enforcement staff would just go to one popular place and issue five summonses just to meet their target,” Lo elaborated.
Yesterday, Kuching South Mayor Dato Wee Hong Seng defended the KPI set by the MBKS of issuing at least five compounds issued a day over cases of Covid-19’s SOP breach.
However, he also assured the people that they should not be worried about the KPI as long as they continued to comply with the SOP.
“We need to be serious about it. It’s simple – you follow the SOP, then you would be OK.
“If no KPI is set and everyone is relaxed over it, why bother enforcing the SOP?
“We want to bring the (Covid-19) cases down. So let us fight this virus together,” said Wee, adding that the KPI was set by the MBKS Covid-19 One Stop Centre.
Asked if the KPI would compel MBKS enforcement personnel to issue compounds just to fulfil such quota, the mayor said: “No, why should we go and issue compounds to those who did not break the rules?
“If you’re innocent, then you’re innocent. No one can issue you compounds just to meet the KPI.
“I’m sure we would all be happy if no one breaks the SOP – meaning, everyone obeys and, of course, that would bring the cases down.”
Wee assured everyone that MBKS enforcement teams would be fair and transparent in carrying out their duties.
A WhatsApp message, which had gone viral, had warned the public that the enforcement teams from MBKS and Kuching City North Commission (DBKU) had been forced to issue at least five compounds daily, each amounting to RM1,500, adding that those who were still out after 10pm would be targeted.
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