IN the months following the Sabah state election in September 2020, an unprecedented Emergency Ordinance was issued to prevent further volatility that could bring irreversible consequences to Malaysia’s healthcare system. As a result, Sarawak’s state election has been postponed until after the Ordinance expires on Aug 1, 2021. It is critical and crucial that adequate public health measures are in place and clear health indicators are met before any election is called, whether at the state or federal level. Otherwise, the efforts of the past six months will be moot.
The Health and Sciences Covid-19 Advisory Group of Experts’ (EAG) ground scan reveals that there are challenges in policy implementation and systemic gaps that prevent a true whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach to handling the pandemic. Moreover, the National Recovery Plan announced on June 15 lacks specificity and detail that will allow us to exit the pandemic effectively and safely. Doing so requires the following: