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COMMENTARY, March 31 ― Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has shown his mettle as a leader as he rallies the nation against an invisible enemy ― Covid-19 ― while at the same time having to deal with his political enemies and a volatile economic situation.

Emerging from the political battle that brought down the nearly two-year-old Pakatan Harapan (PH) government, he wasted no time in working to contain the deadly coronavirus while offering the people new hope.

The absence of a trustworthy opposition made Muhyiddin acceptable to Malaysians at large and at this present moment, he has thus far managed to handle the Covid-19 crisis with wisdom.

He took about a week from March 2, the day he was sworn in as prime minister, to settle down and pick his Cabinet who are now working with him as a team to stop the Covid-19 pandemic.

It is no easy task for a man whose leadership capabilities has not been tested at this level but Muhyiddin seems to have taken the challenge in his stride.

Just three weeks ago, the opposition was in a “killing mode” with claims that this was an illegitimate, backdoor government and threats of votes of no-confidence.

Together with Barisan Nasional (BN) and Pas, Muhyiddin managed to weather all that and brought things under control, a feat even the PH government may not have managed so well, according to people on the ground.

Muhyiddin is not fighting one battle alone, he has also to fight his position in the party where he is being challenged by the son of Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamed, his chairman who won the party chairmanship uncontested.

Dr Mahathir had also questioned Muhyiddin’s legality as prime minister ― a position Dr Mahathir himself resigned from, a move which brought down the PH government.

Since he took over, Muhyiddin has not had a single day of peace but he seems to be cool when he appeared twice on TV to address Malaysians about measures needed to contain the pandemic.

In a way, the movement control order (MCO) the country is now under has given Muhyiddin a real political break as all political activities have now stopped.

While he has been getting quite a lot of praise on the ground for his swift actions to help alleviate the suffering of the B40, his stimulus package was not well received by the business community.

He has to address this matter fast or the country may not be able to turn over fast enough to recover from the effects of the shutdown as well as the world economic downturn.

PETALING JAYA: Kementerian Kesihatan Malaysia (KKM) berkata pihaknya mengalu-alukan sukarelawan kesihatan dan perubatan dalam menangani wabak Covid-19 di negara ini.

Ketua Pengarah Kesihatan Dr Noor Hisham berkata sehingga kini seramai 157 sukarelawan menyertai dan ditugaskan sebagai sukarelawan yang ditempatkan secara berperingkat untuk membantu pasukan bantuan kesihatan dan perubatan Covid-19.

“Sejumlah 1,008 orang lagi bakal menyertai pasukan perubatan di hospital, iaitu mereka yang terdiri daripada pelbagai profession perubatan.

KKM juga menyeru lebih ramai sukarelawan dapat tampil menyertai pasukan bantuan kesihatan dan perubatan COVID-19 dengan mengisi borang di laman sesawang Facebook KKM.

Sehingga kini, Malaysia mencatatkan 2,470 kes positif Covid-19 dengan 388 pesakit sembuh sepenuhnya.

Manakala jumlah kematian meningkat kepada 35 kes apabila seorang wanita tempatan berusia 57 tahun yang pernah mengunjungi Indonesia meninggal dunia petang semalam.

PETALING JAYA: The health ministry today called for more volunteers to aid frontliners in the struggle to contain the Covid-19 outbreak.

Health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said the ministry welcomed the service of health and medical volunteers in fighting the deadly virus.

He said 157 people had been assigned so far, while 1,008 others from various medical professions are set to join the hospital teams soon.

“Taking the current situation into account, the health ministry calls on more volunteers to step forward and join the Covid-19 health and medical aid teams,” Noor Hisham in a Facebook post.

Those who are interested can fill up the online registration form posted on the health ministry’s Facebook page.

The Covid-19 pandemic has infected 2,470 people and caused a national shutdown of public activities in Malaysia, with 35 deaths recorded so far.

The pandemic has led to the total lockdown of seven villages in Sungai Lui, in the Hulu Langat district and Simpang Renggam, Johor.

CLICK HERE FOR THE LATEST DATA ON THE COVID-19 SITUATION IN MALAYSIA

KUALA LUMPUR, March 30 — ADT Biotech Sdn Bhd has received the Health Ministry’s (MoH) approval to supply the LyteStar 2019-nCoV RT-PCR test kit to MoH facilities which have been tasked to run tests for the Covid-19 virus, SARS-CoV-2.

Managing director Dr Finn Zedler said the test kit has been certified by the Institute of Medical Research (IMR) as its results were consistent with the IMR’s tests and is in line with the World Health Organisation’s guidelines.

“We are proud that our product has met the IMR’s requirements and approved by the MoH, and we are in the midst of boosting our production capacity,” he said.

ADT Biotech, a BioNexus-status company under the Malaysian Bioeconomy Development Corporation Sdn Bhd (Bioeconomy Corporation), has developed the easy-to-use test kit specifically to meet the routine diagnostic screening needs.

Zedler said the company’s achievement was made possible with the help and support from the Bioeconomy Corporation, especially in roping in relevant parties in marketing the test kit and other ADT products in Malaysia and the region.

“The technology behind the test kit is based on a specific gene sequence unique to the targeted pathogen,” he said, adding that the test kit has also been sent to countries such as South Korea, India and Thailand, and orders have also been received from as far as Europe. — Bernama

KUALA LUMPUR, March 30 — The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission rejected social media messages telling Malaysians to contact the agency if they do not receive aid payments from the government.

On Friday, the government announced a stimulus package over the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) that included various forms of assistance for those affected by the pandemic and ensuing movement control order.

“The MACC denies claims purporting that the public must call the agency’s toll free hotline in the event they do not receive their allocation of government assistance, as was shared on WhatsApp and other social media platforms,” the commission said in a statement today.

The MACC added that it has not released any public statement on this matter.

Aid payments under the Prihatin stimulus package will be paid out starting April 1 and entitlements vary according to households’ income levels and economic participation.

Di saat pelaksanaan perintah kawalan pergerakan seharusnya sebagai pengguna mestilah mempunyai sikap bertanggungjawab terutama sekali ketika berada di luar untuk membeli barang keperluan dapur.

Malah penjual atau peniaga juga sudah tentu mahu memastikan bekalan sentiasa mencukupi untuk menampung keperluan semua orang.

Dan jika masih ada yang tidak memberi kerjasama untuk tetap berada di rumah dan tidak perlu keluar kalau tiada urusan yang penting sudah pasti kerajaan akan melanjutkan lagi perintah kawalan ini kerana gagal memutuskan rantaian Covid-19.

Maka amat wajar ketika keluar membeli barang keperluan, orang ramai seharusnya mengamalkan kebersihan terutama sekali jika perlu berada di tempat orang ramai dan janganlah sampai memudaratkan orang lain dengan tindakan diri sendiri.

Berdasarkan perkongsian di Facebook, di Pennsylvania sebuah pasaraya terpaksa membuang semua stok makanan selepas seorang daripada pelanggan mereka batuk dengan sengaja di atas permukaan bahagian makanan, tempat daging mentah dan bahagian bakeri.

Hal ini menyebabkan pasaraya tersebut mengalami kerugian lebih RM149,208.

Pihak pasaraya terpaksa mengambil langkah keselamatan dengan membuang kesemua stok makanan tersebut dan melakukan kerja-kerja pembasmian kuman.

Walaupun mereka tak tahu sama ada pelanggan tersebut merupakan pesakit Covid-19 atau tidak namun sebagai langkah berjaga-jaga mereka terpaksa juga membuang stok makanan tersebut.

Tindakan orang tidak bertanggungjawab ini mencetuskan panik dalam kalangan penduduk setempat.

Mereka menyangka stok makanan di pasaraya tersebut dah habis.

Selepas kerja-kerja pembasmian kuman dilakukan, staf pasaraya tersebut meletakkan semula stok makanan yang baharu ke tempat rak-rak yang telah dikosongkan itu.

Kejadian seperti ini bukanlah sesuatu yang boleh dijadikan bahan lawak dalam keadaan yang kritikal.

Orang ramai dinasihatkan untuk memberi kerjasama agar dapat memutuskan rantaian wabak Covid-19 yang semakin meningkat di seluruh dunia.

Ketika ini Pennsylvania sudah mencatatkan 1,260 kes positif Covid-19.

Anda ada berita menarik untuk dikongsi? Sila email ke fmtohsem@freemalaysiatoday.com

PETALING JAYA: NGOs directly involved in providing aid to frontliners and needy groups have voiced concern over the government’s move to bar them from delivering during the movement control order (MCO).

Speaking to FMT, A Ravendiran Arjunan, the president of the Malaysian Association of Indian University Graduates, said he was afraid the government’s new ruling might lead to wastage and delays.

The new ruling requires NGOs to send food and aid to collection points run by the Welfare Department before they are distributed by Rela or Civil Defence Force.

Ravendiran, whose NGO has been working with Yayasan MyNadi and Hindu Dharmamamandharam to send food to three public hospitals daily, says coordination will become a problem.

“We supply food to the frontliners, according to their dietary requirements, whether it is halal food or vegetarian food.

“Before this, we worked directly with the hospitals. They tell us their needs and we send the food to the respective hospital operations room.”

In their case, if the hospitals on a certain day state they have sufficient supply from other donors, they would not ask for food.

He said without proper coordination, people may be donating more than what is needed and this could lead to wastage.

His organisation, Ravendiran said, receives donations from the public and these are used to purchase food from suppliers. They then collect the food and distribute them.

“So freshness will now be another concern. How fast can the government redistribute the food? In our case, if we have to deliver food to the hospital in Klang, we order the food from Klang.”

He also said he was worried about not being able to let donors know when the food they sponsored would reach the intended groups.

Now, he said, they would send pictures of deliveries to donors so that they know their money had been really spent on charity.

Klima Action Malaysia (Kamy) chairman Ili Nadiah Dzulfakar, whose organisation helps the Orang Asli, said they were not affected by the new ruling but disagreed with it.

In the case of Kamy, Nadiah said that they worked directly with the Orang Asli Development Department (Jakoa) to distribute dry food and sanitary items which are enough for a family for up to three weeks.

“Jakoa has informed us that no outsiders are allowed to come into contact with the Orang Asli to keep them safe from the virus,” she said, adding this was not a problem for them as they have been dealing with Jakoa regularly.

She disagreed with the government’s new ruling because in some communities, like refugees, the authorities did not have the same rapport with the community members.

“Many of the people who need help, like refugees, fear the authorities. If these communities are not taken care of, you will have bigger problems later.

“The government should have consulted the people on the ground. I hope they review this ruling and get NGOs on board.”

Joe Yap, who was helping to deliver food and medical supplies directly to poor homes and hospitals says she is not sure what she will do now.

“I still have supplies with me to deliver. My main concern is making sure the supplies reach those who really need them.

“I am also worried whether the government has sufficient manpower to deliver the goods.

“The NGOs and volunteers can help mobilise the aid. These NGOs have been on the ground and know those who need help well.”

CLICK HERE FOR THE LATEST DATA ON THE COVID-19 SITUATION IN MALAYSIA

KUANTAN, March 29 — The Regent of Pahang, Tengku Hassanal Ibrahim Alam Shah Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah expressed his gratitude and appreciation to frontliners involved in addressing the Covid-19 outbreak in the country on his Instagram social page.

A seven-minute video, which was uploaded on the account, this.7, and recorded in Pekan near here, is an initiative by Tengku Hassanal, who is overwhelmed by the sacrifices of the health and security members for working tirelessly in these tiring times.

The start of the video saw Tengku Hassanal, clad in military attire, standing in front of a huge board with words, “Frontliners,” “Thank You,” “Stay Home,” “Terima Kasih” and “Duduk Rumah” on it.

“I wish to express my heartfelt thanks and gratitude to all the frontliners on duty in all hospitals. You are indeed brave.

“I also pray for everyone (to) take care of their own health so that Covid-19 can be eliminated and thousands of lives saved. Thanks again, ‘frontliners,’” he said.

Besides the video recording, Tengku Hassanal, also uploaded several images of doctors and nurses at work in hospitals and that of the security members mounting road blocks with the enforcement of the Movement Control Order (MCO).

Meanwhile, the Raja Permaisuri Agong Tunku Hajah Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah uploaded still images from Tengku Hassanal’s video onto Her Majesty’s Instagram at airtangan_tunkuazizah with the caption “I miss my son.”

Tunku Azizah and the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah are in quarantine for 14 days since last Thursday, after seven staff of the Istana Negara were confirmed Covid-19 positive cases.

His Majesty had undergone health screening and found negative with the virus. — Bernama