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PETALING JAYA: The Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) has criticized politicians for continuing to hold demonstrations in Sabah despite the increase in the number of cases in the past two weeks, saying a quarantine may be necessary for those returning from the state.
MMA President Dr. N Ganabaskaran said this is compounded by political leaders setting a bad example when they don’t wear masks.
“His supporters, who also do not wear masks, do not follow the POE for social distancing in public gatherings,” Ganabaskaran said in a statement today.
“It is very disturbing to see the SOP openly mocked when we see the news coverage of political meetings. Political leaders should set a good example by prioritizing the health of the people.
“If such disregard for standard operating procedures continues, the cases will further escalate and spread across the state, and before we know it, authorities may have no choice but to impose a statewide lockdown,” he said, expressing concern about the emergence of a new cluster in Tongod, Sandakan, bringing the total number of clusters to six in the state.
Ganabaskaran added that while the situation may be under control now, it could easily turn into a nightmare for healthcare workers if cases increase exponentially and overwhelm hospitals.
MMA urged authorities to be more strict in enforcing standard operating procedures, including political ones.
“We are concerned that Sabahans return to their places of origin from other states to cast their vote. MMA believes that a quarantine may be necessary when they return to the peninsula, ”he said.
The quarantine would act as a precautionary measure to prevent people from letting their guard down when they return home for the polls.
Health authorities announced today 82 new cases of Covid-19, 60 of them in Sabah.
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