KUCHING: The Sarawak government has been urged to not blindly follow the federal government’s directive on the relaxation of movement control order (MCO) and resumption of industries and businesses’ operation.
Parti Bumi Kenyalang (PBK) president Voon Lee Shan said the government should know that the fight against Covid-19 had not been won yet. Hence the state government had the right to decide what was best for its people.
“Instead, there is a need for the government to start rationing of essential goods in the market.
“It is also the responsibility of the government to find ways to take care of the daily essential needs of its citizens,” he said in a statement yesterday in response to the federal government’s announcement on the conditional MCO under which certain economic sectors and social activities were allowed starting May 4.
Voon noted that a foreign specialist doctor had advised that the reopening of industries and businesses at this moment was a grave mistake.
“An attack by Covid-19 comes silently from anywhere at any time and once attacked, it is not just the ones affected but also those within the proximity would succumb too.”
He said the government had to ask itself whether saving lives was more important than saving the economy.
“Those likely to be infected by Covid-19 if industries and businesses are open are the workers and lower income groups.
“The rich and the famous will have no problem in protecting themselves from Covid-19 attack because they can lock themselves at home while their employees work and earn money for them,” Voon pointed out.
