KOTA KINABALU: The Government, both Federal and State, should open up all sectors, whether essential or otherwise, said the Sabah Economic Advisory Council (SEAC).
Its Chairman Tan Sri David Chu said: “Covid-19 has being with us for almost 20 months and caused much destruction to the economy and people’s lives.
“We cannot continue to wait for the number of Covid cases to plummet before opening up all the sectors as the livelihood of the people will suffer irreversible damage.”
He said with Covid vaccine now available and a sizeable number of people having been vaccinated, the Government, both Federal and State, should without delay give a lifeline to the people by opening up all sectors.
“To SEAC, every sector is essential as it provide employment to the people,” he said.
Chu said the government can impose a condition to allow all sectors to open by making it a must for all their workers to be fully vaccinated and those patronising them must also complete both doses of the vaccine.
“China, the world’s most populous nation, handled the pandemic well and their economy is roaring now. China ensured that most of their citizens are vaccinated fast so that the economy and the people’s livelihood will return to normal as soon as possible. And today, they have achieved that. Malaysia, including Sabah, should learn from the China experience,” he said.
Chu said: “Time waits for no one and if the economy is not moving, the people will continue to suffer and the millions of workers in the so-called non-essential sectors will in no time fall into the hardcore poor category which must be avoided at all costs.
“The government should get as many people vaccinated as soon as possible. Even migrants, legal or illegal, should also be vaccinated. The private sector should be roped in to assist in the National Immunisation Programme. The Government introduced Pikas but more should be done as some sectors which are considered non-essential are not willing to come forward to get their workers jabbed as they do not know when they are allowed to re-open.”
Pikas is a public-private partnership programme supported by the private sector that will provide the usage of worksites, convention and exhibition centres as Pusat Pemberian Vaksin (PPV) that includes the services of both medical, non-medical and security personnel.
Chu said: “If the government is to make it a condition that only companies, whether in essential or non-essential sectors, are allowed to re-open if their workers are fully vaccinated, I believes that all the companies will get involve in the Pikas programme.”
He said foreigners should also be allowed to enter the State provided they are fully vaccinated and have the “vaccination passport” to prove.
“If these fully vaccinated foreigners are allowed to enter the State, they must undergo the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test at the point of entry and if results show they are negative, should be allowed to enter without having to be quarantined,” he said.
He said no one knows how long Covid would be around but as long as the people are fully vaccinated and follow the strict Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) set by the government, the economy should be allowed to operate fully.
“Of course we cannot follow Britain’s way of doing things. The British Government just declared what they called Freedom Day and most of the SOPs were chucked, including the wearing of mask in public and crowded places,” he said.
Chu said the recent move by the State Government in allowing dine-in at eateries had bought about much relieve in the sector as well as the supply chain.
“Most importantly, the more than 200,000 workers in food and beverages industry, whether on monthly or daily salary, finally has a source of income to feed their family and pay the rents.
“SEAC salutes the Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor for standing firm in his decision to allow dine-in despite initial objections from the National Security Council.
“However, SEAC believes certain SOPs on the eatery sector need to be fine-tuned like the operating hours from 6am-9pm.
“The State Government should consider allowing eateries to open at least until 10pm. Most eatery operators are renting the premises and to share the high rentals, the main tenant would operate in the morning until about 2pm or 3pm and rent it out to another person to operate at night. If the night operators can close a bit later, it will mean a little more business for them,” said Chu.
Chu said SEAC hoped that its plead to the Government to allow all sectors to resume operations with strict SOPs, would be given due considerations.
“According to medical reports, those who have completed both doses of the Covid vaccine are well protected and SEAC is of the opinion that all sectors should be allowed to re-open with the condition that all workers and patrons had received both doses,” he said.-pr/BNN
