KUALA LUMPUR :Malaysia should emulate Korea in conducting a nationwide Covid-19 testing which had been proven to be effective in flattening the coronavirus curve, said Tan Sri T.C Goh, president of the Federation of Chinese Associations Malaysia (Huazong).
“We believe such a move would be more thorough-and-effective than the current practice of tracking the suspected carriers, or those who have come into contact with them,” he said this in a statement issued today.
He thus urged the Government and the Ministry of Health to step up efforts to ensure sufficient supplies of reagents for Covid-19 testing, which was reportedly seriously lacking nationwide, currently.
He said this while expressing Huazong’s full support to the government’s extension of the ongoing MCO for another two weeks to 14 April announced by Prime Minister of Malaysia.
He nonetheless said Huazong disagrees with the statement by Defence Minister, Datuk Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob on Tuesday, for saying that there is no such rule that makes it mandatory for the public to wear face masks. Ismail even reminded businesses not to simply impose such ruling on their customers which is not part of the requirement set by the Ministry of Health to stop the spread of the Covid-19 outbreak.
Goh contended that the Government can always make it a mandatory requirement under the Movement Control Order (MCO).
He noted that Huazong has proposed this in its five-point proposal on the extension of MCO, as follows:
1. The Government to allocate special fund to provide free Covid-19 testing nationwide;
2. To make it mandatory under the MCO for the public to wear face mask when they go out;
3. To invite experienced medical experts from China to come in to assist and guide us in fighting Covid-19; currently such effort was only made through video conferencing;
4. To seriously consider the 20-point ‘Stay-at-home’ assistance which Huazong proposed earlier, in order to better mitigate and lessen the people’s financial burden, and to enhance their awareness against Covid-19;
5. To further impress upon the public on the importance of their full support and cooperation towards the Government’s ongoing efforts and measures in combating Covid-19.
Goh also reiterated his call urging the public to abide by the MCO to stay at home, and to maintain good personal hygiene, as well as cleanliness of their living environment.- pr/BNN
