#kerajaangagal98 – Support for the convening of special Conference of Rulers on June 16 on Covid-19 pandemic as the worsening of the Covid-19 situation in Malaysia must be the concern of all Malaysians including the royalty

The convening of a special Conference of Rulers on June 16 on the Covid-19 pandemic initiated by the Yang di Pertuan Agong deserves the support of all Malaysians, regardless of race, religion or politics, as the worsening Covid-19 situation in Malaysia must be the concern of all, including the royalty.

In the first year of the Covid-19 pandemic, all will agree that the worst countries in handling the Covid-19 pandemic were the United States, United Kingdom, Italy, France, Spain, Brazil and Mexico.

But if Malaysians are asked after five months of the emergency declared on January 11, 2021 to combat the Covid-19 pandemic what are the worst countries in the handling of the Covid-19 pandemic, they would think of Malaysia and India.

United States, Untied Kingdom, Italy, France and Spain have turned a corner and they could see light at the end of the tunnel.

United States, the worst state in 2020, with a cumulative total of 34.25 million cases, which saw a peak daily increase of 305,044 Covid-19 cases on January 8, 2021 and peak daily increase of 4,464 deaths on January 12, have fallen by 95.5% to 13,742 cases and by 91.2% to 392 deaths on June 8, 2021.

United Kingdom has also undergone a sharp drop in daily increase of new cases and deaths – falling 91% from the peak daily increase of 67,839 new cases on January 8, 2021 to 6,049 new cases on June 8, 2021 and falling by 99.3% from the peak daily increase of 1,823 deaths on January 20 to 13 deaths on June 8, 2021.

Italy, France and Spain have also seen a sharp drop in the region of 90% in daily increase of new Covid-19 cases and Covid-19 deaths.

Even India is seeing a sharp drop in daily cases and deaths – falling from peak daily increase of 414,433 new Covid-19 cases on May 6 to 87,345 cases on June 8 (a sharp drop of 79%) and peak daily increase of 4,525 Covid-19 deaths on May 18 to 2213 deaths on June 8 (another sharp drop of 51.1%).

Malaysia however is surging ahead, setting a new record for daily increase of new Covid-19 cases (9,020 cases on 29th May) and daily increase of new Covid-19 deaths (126 deaths on 2nd June) – with warning that Malaysia could see 13,000 cases daily by mid-June and a toll of 26,000 deaths by September.

The world’s worst pandemic leaders last year would be United States President Donald Trump, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro and Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopex Obrador of Mexico.

This year, Donald Trump is no more, but the list would be joined by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin.

Two further indications of Malaysia becoming the “sick man” in Asia are:

  • Malaysia was ranked No. 85 on Nov. 18, 2020 among nations with the most cumulative total of Covid-19 cases, but nearly seven months later, the country is ranked No. 39 - a jump of 46 places. Malaysia will be ranked No. 38 in a week’s time, overtaking Austria.
  • Malaysia is among the top ten countries with the most cases per million of population for the rolling average covering two weeks from 24th May to 6th June. The top ten countries are:
    1. Bahrain 2,307.1
    2. Uruguay 1,580.8
    3. Colombia 725.7
    4. Suriname 627.3
    5. Chile 558.2
    6. Kuwait 458.6
    7. Mongolia 440.8
    8. Malaysia 354.3
    9. Oman 316.2
    10. Namibia 244.9

Every loyal and patriotic Malaysian should be concerned about the worsening Covid-19 situation in Malaysia, when many countries with worse records in the past in the Covid-19 pandemic are turning a corner.

We have lost 3,536 lives to Covid-19 – how many of them are avoidable deaths if we had a better handling of the Covid-19 pandemic?’

This is why the Special Rulers’ Conference on the Covid-19 pandemic is most commendable and should be supported by all Malaysians.

Lim Kit Siang MP for Iskandar Puteri