Muhyiddin said today the government will consider allowing interstate travel for Aidilfitri but the Health director-general raised the alarm yesterday about rising Covid-19 curve – why is there such conflicting messaging and kakistocracy?

Today, in his constituency, the Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said the government will study thoroughly whether the state inter-state travel and visits can be allowed in conjunction with Aidilfitri which falls in May.

But yesterday, the Health Director-General, Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah sounded the alarm as the curve of Covid-19 infections began showing an upward trend and said on FaceBook: : "We need strong social responsibility and compliance to flatten the curve again."

Why is there still such conflicting communication and messaging about the Covid-19 pandemic – demonstrating a kakistocracy at work?

In fact, it is classic example that after more than a year after the Covid-19 pandemic and having one of the longest Covid-19 waves in the world, Malaysia still does not have a “all-of-government” and “whole-of-society” strategy and approach to the war against the Covid-19 pandemic.

When will Malaysia be able to bring the third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic under control, with daily increases of new Covid-19 cases reduced to triple-digit and then double-digit figures?

According to one projection reported in the local media, the daily increase of new Covid-19 cases will not be reduced to triple digit figure until more than three weeks later on April 19, 2021.

Does the Ministry of Health agree with this and when will we return to the days of double-digit daily increase of new Covid-19 cases?

I had hoped that we would be able to reduce the daily increase of new Covid-19 cases to triple-digit figures this month, followed by the reduction to double-digit figures next month.

Malaysia must do a better job to bring the Covid-19 pandemic under control, and the pandemic must not be used as an excuse to commit a multiplicity of sins, like imposing the harsh, disproportionate, unconscionable and unjust compound fine of RM10,000 for individuals and RM50,000 for companies for breach of the Covid-19 SOPs and the “Dua Darjat” disease during the Covid-19 pandemic apart from the suspension of Parliament and violation of Parliament mandate to disallow youths over 18 years to vote in the next general elections.

There must be a review of the whole Covid-19 strategy and in particular to accelerate and complete Covid-19 national vaccination campaign so that there can be normality and economic recovery in the last quarter of the year.

Lim Kit Siang MP for Iskandar Puteri