MP SPEAKS | KJ and Ismail Sabri should communicate before talking to the public

MP SPEAKS | Yesterday morning, when Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Khairy Jamaluddin released the locations listed under Hotspot Identification for Dynamic Engagement (Hide) early warning system, he said all premises and locations listed are not confirmed Covid-19 clusters. 

However, these premises and locations had the potential to turn into clusters if pre-emptive actions were not taken.

Bernama also reported that Khairy stressed that "premises listed under Hide are different from the list of clusters issued each day by the health director-general. Premises listed under Hide does not need to close except when directed by the authorities”.

Later, Defence Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob issued a statement, saying that premises listed under the Hide system will be under lockdown immediately for three days.

Ismail also said the enforcement of standard operating procedures (SOPs) in these areas will be carried out by the police, army and the local councils. He said the government had asked police to increase enforcement at Hide areas.

Soon after that, the government issued different statements on the premises listed under Hide. The statement of Ismail was contradictory to Khairy’s.

So, whose statement is correct? Will the shopping malls listed under Hide be closed immediately for three days?

This is not the first time these two cabinet ministers made contradictory statements on the movement control order (MCO).

A few days ago, after the government announced the MCO, Ismail said people who want to cross districts for vaccination must get approval from the police. After that, Khairy rebutted his statement and said people who want to cross districts for vaccination don’t need to get police approval, but they just need to show notification of vaccination in their MySejahtera app.

The contradictory statements made by Khairy and Ismail in the last two instances showed that they have failed to communicate and failed to understand each other’s concerns before they made public statements.

On top of that, both ministers have failed to understand the consequences of the statements that they issued. Their contradictory announcements have invited objection from the Malaysia Shopping Malls Association, Malaysia Retailers Association and Malaysia Retail Chain Association.

The reaction from these three associations is expected, how can the government give them less than 24 hours’ notice to close down more than 150 shopping complexes listed under Hide? Thousands of businesses in these locations are totally unprepared for the sudden “shutdown”.

Better communication and coordination between the two cabinet ministers, the government servants together with the affected sectors are most essential. Mutually coordinated action will remove all unnecessary confusion, as it has caused now. At least the public and businesses will be able to go about their lives and businesses without undue uncertainty.

TERESA KOK is Seputeh MP.

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