KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 12 — Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said the government is losing credibility among the people as it keeps breaking its own Covid-19 standard operating procedures (SOPs).
The Rembau MP said if this behaviour of nonchalance towards SOPs continues, the public will start neglecting them as well, seeing that even their leaders are oblivious to them.
“The main thing a government needs during a pandemic is credibility and this government has taken a huge hit.
“When the government is seen breaking its own rules their credibility is gone. So while we admit there are failures and mistakes the compound had to be issued and I had relayed this to the prime minister when he arrived at the event,” said Khairy today during the Bicara Khas programme on RTM1 television channel.
Yesterday, huge crowds were seen at Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC) where Prime Mnister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob attended the four-day 100-day Aspirasi Keluarga Malaysia event.
Most of them were there to pay their traffic summons at the summons payment counters at the police and Road Transport Department booths.
Khairy said the event was regrettable and that ministry official had initially attended meetings with the event organisers, Shared Prosperity Delivery Unit (Sepadu), where he said everything seemed right on paper.
However, on the day there was no security and lack of enforcers for SOPs.
Khairy said he was aware the public was angry at the paltry fine of RM1,000 but said it was all they could do for now under the law.
He however said Sepadu had been reprimanded publicly and urged the government to in future hire agencies with proper event organising experience.
“On paper, everything seemed right but Sepadu failed so they are the ones who should shoulder the blame. We should learn from this and hire reputable organisations to handle events like this in the future.
“I also told Sepadu not to send out such message blasts again. If they do, they should at least have some SOPs or something in place or notify the people to adhere to them.
“As for fining everyone in the place, that will be difficult as then we will need to find those who came to settle their fines as well. So an analysis of the event is needed for us to learn and do better in the future,” he added.
