Dr Kelvin Yii
SIBU (June 16): The National Recovery Plan (NRP) announced by Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has been called “a shell devoid of real substance and strategy”.
Bandar Kuching MP Dr Kelvin Yii claimed the NRP has not inspired confidence or shown a way forward for businesses and the public post Covid-19.
“This shows that the government has few to no plans for a proper exit strategy when it comes to properly transitioning out of this Movement Control Order (MCO),” he claimed in a media statement.
“Not only was this recovery plan announced so late but it offers little substance and support for many businesses that are struggling, and some may not even survive until Phase 4.”
According to him, there were no clear plans to address the losses incurred by shutting down economic sectors not considered essential over the past 15 months including those in the entertainment business, reflexology centres, or even businesses involving social gatherings, among others.
He said the government’s decision to use absolute cases as a barometer was worrying.
“For Covid-19 cases to be used as a reliable parameter, our positive rate must constantly remain below 5 per cent. We need to ensure that the daily numbers are adjusted to the total daily tests done, only then it is a more significant parameter,” he claimed.
Yii cited the World Health Organization’s recommendation for a country to maintain the positive rate below 5 per cent for 14 days before considering reopening the economy.
“That is the clear science, not purely based on absolute cases.”
Yii also questioned the Perikatan Nasional government’s decision not to reopen Parliament during the pandemic even though all MPs have already been vaccinated.
“One of the main solutions to our current problems is to restore parliamentary democracy in our country so that all MPs can play their part to contribute suggestions and ideas to the current governments and also provide proper checks and balances to the system.
“If we look at examples all around the world including the UK and even Singapore, when cases increase in a certain country, they will have more Parliamentary meetings to not only update the public on government plans, but also to get input from all quarters to activate the whole of government, whole of society approach,” he said.
Yesterday, Muhyiddin said Putrajaya’s exit strategy from the Covid-19 pandemic would involve four phases, with all sectors possibly reopening in the final phases.
The first phase is the ongoing lockdown, which is being implemented because the number of Covid-19 cases remains high.
The second phase will see tighter control of social activities and movement restrictions, with economic sectors being reopened in stages.
The third phase would see all economic sectors being allowed to operate except those listed as high risk, while the last stage would begin in October when Covid-19 infection numbers are expected to drop to 500 a day and 60 per cent of the population has been fully vaccinated.
Under the last phase, Muhyiddin said the nation could return to near normalcy with all economic sectors open.