Kenyataan media oleh Syerleena Abdul Rashid – ADUN Seri Delima / Penolong Setiausaha Publisiti DAP Pulau Pinang / Ahli Jawatankuasa Kebangsaan DAP Wanita – George Town, Pulau Pinang – 16 Mac 2020:
Saya merujuk laporan berita di mana Menteri Kesihatan, Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba dipetik berkata satu mesyuarat khas akan diadakan bagi menangani lonjakan kes virus COVID19 akan dihadiri Perdana Menteri, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, Kementerian Kesihatan dan Kementerian Pertahanan.
Saya sebagai wakil rakyat ingin menyatakan rasa kecewa dan marah terhadap kelembapan menteri kesihatan dalam menangani isu yang membingungkan seluruh rakyat Malaysia.
Virus tidak menunggu pak menteri bermesyuarat. Bacaan terkini menunjukkan kes jangkitan telah melonjak ke 428. Menteri wajib prihatin dan proaktif dalam menangani masalah wabak, bukannya tunggu untuk keesokan hari baru nak bermesyuarat.
Ini menjatuhkan kewibawaan di mana apabila dalam soal politik, pelbagai mesyuarat dapat diadakan serentak di beberapa hotel pada hari Sabtu dan Ahad. Manakala isu kesihatan rakyat jelata pulak seolah tidak diberikan keutamaan yang sama.
Saya menyeru pihak berkuasa untuk memandang serius perkara ini. Ketika ada orang Malaysia yang terlantar di wad kecemasan ICU, saya menggesa para Menteri, Timbalan Menteri dan khususnya, Menteri Kesihatan, jangan main-main dengan soal nyawa rakyat.
Para menteri dan timbalan wajib mengambil pendekatan proaktif dan memahami betapa seriusnya keadaan semasa, terutama sekali kesan sosio-ekonomi terhadap rakyat jelata pada waktu genting dan tidak stabil hari ini.
Ketua Pengarah Kementerian Kesihatan Malaysia Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullan dan pasukan beliau telah bekerja keras di bawah tekanan besar. Adalah menjadi tanggungjawab dan kewajipan Menteri Kesihatan untuk mengerah tenaga semua pemegang taruh untuk menangani wabak demi kesejahteraan semua rakyat Malaysia.
SYERLEENA ABDUL RASHID
ADUN Seri Delima
Penolong Setiausaha Publisiti DAP Pulau Pinang
Ahli Jawatankuasa Kebangsaan DAP Wanita
Press statement by Syerleena Abdul Rashid – ADUN Seri Delima/DAP Penang Assistant Publicity / DAP Wanita National Execitive Committee – George Town, Penang – 16 March 2020:
I refer to a news where Health Minister, Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba cited that the government will hold a special meeting after Malaysia’s COVID-19 cases has surpassed 400 (428 by the time of writing), making it the highest in the ASEAN region. The meeting will be held on Monday and as a people’s representative, I question why a lack of urgency and priority to address a pandemic that has caught the entire world by surprise.
The Ministry of Health under the previous government had presented guidelines to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and the first wave of outbreak was under control. We are made to understand that all those infected have since recovered, however, the second wave of outbreak has proven that the apathy exhibited by certain decision makers, organizations and members of public needs to be addressed diligently and with great empathy. Important decision making meetings cannot wait as even a day is regarded too long and as our nation faces this pandemic, without any clear leadership from our ministers, we are faced with a ticking time bomb that may not produce the positive results we need for this country.
Ministers and Deputy Ministers must take a proactive approach and understand the gravity of our current situation as the socio-economic impact will be too great of a burden for Malaysians to bear, especially during these tumultuous, uncertain times.
Director General of Health Malaysia, Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah and his team have been working hard during this crisis, but our resources are limited. As stated by Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba,“We are now in the late containment stage” therefore, tackling this pandemic is the responsibility of everyone – all ministries must band together and come up with a workable solution because time is a luxury most Malaysians do not have.
SYERLEENA ABDUL RASHID
ADUN Seri Delima
DAP Penang Assistant Publicity Secretary
DAP Wanita National Executive Committee