Malaysia must learn from the lessons of the past, in particular the 22-months of Pakatan Harapan government, to rebuild Malaysia as a united, democratic, just and world-class great nation

The global Covid-19 pandemic seems to have turned a corner with the number of Covid-19 cases across the globe declining for a fourth week in a row.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) weekly epidemiological update, the number of Covid-19 deaths reported worldwide decreased for a second week running, with 88,000 new deaths reported last week, a 10% drop compared to the previous week.

But it is too early to say whether the world has passed the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic.

In Malaysia, the reported 3,288 Covid-19 cases and 14 deaths, as compared to the previous day’s increase of 2,764 Covid-19 cases and 13 deaths, is an indication that the flattening of the curve and a subsequent decline of new Covid-19 infections is not yet a certainty.

In this period of uncertainty, the new-fangled exception to the Covid-19 SOP to relax quarantine duration from 10 days to three days for Ministers and its possible extension to business travellers must be viewed with alarm.

As objected to by the Academy of Medicine, a registered body representing medical specialists, embracing 11 colleges and 15 chapters, it is not “grounded in science”.

In its statement, it said: "We wish to remind the government that all standard operating procedures (SOP) must be grounded in science. The quarantine period for inbound travellers is set at 10 days based on research which shows that the risk of transmission is extremely low (~1%) after 10 days, with monitoring and testing in place.

"The incubation period for Covid-19 is on average five to six days, but can be as long as 14 days. Therefore, three days is insufficient to detect symptoms.”

Adham Baba has said that Foreign Affairs Minister Hishammuddin Hussein may not qualify to have his quarantine period reduced to three days after returning from the United Arab Emirates.

Is Adham aware that UAE is one of the 33 “red list” countries which UK has announced in its attempt to bring the surge of Covid-19 cases in UK under control?

Malaysia is going through a difficult period. Malaysia must learn from the lessons of the past, in particular the 22-months of Pakatan Harapan government, to rebuild Malaysia as a united, democratic, just and world-class great nation.