Khairy Jamaluddin and Ismail Sabri are urged to have better communication before they issue statement related to MCO
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Yesterday morning, when Minister of Science Technology and Innovation Khairul Jamaluddin released locations listed under Hotspot Identification for Dynamic Engagement (HIDE) early warning system, he said all premises and locations listed under HIDE are not confirmed Covid-19 clusters. However, these premises and locations had potential to turn into clusters if pre-emptive actions were not taken.
Bernama also reported that Khairy also 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, the Minister of Defence Ismail Sabri issued a statement and said “Premises listed under the HIDE system will be under lockdown immediately for three days.” Ismail Sabri also said the enforcement of SOPs in these areas will be carried out by the police, army and the local councils, he added. He said the government had asked police to increase enforcement at HIDE areas.
Soon after that, the government issued different statements on premises listed under HIDE. The statement of Ismail Sabri later was contradictory to the statement made by Khairy Jamaluddin earlier. 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 MCO. Few days ago, after the government announced MCO, Ismail Sabri said people who want to cross districts for vaccination must get approval from the police. After that, Khairy Jamaluddin 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 MySejatera app to the police.
The contradictory statements made by Khairy Jamaluddin and Ismail Sabri 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 (MRA) and Malaysia Retail Chain Association (MRCA).
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. A 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
MP for Seputeh
9 May 2021