AUGUST 7 — By the government’s own admission, the country is at war with Covid-19.
And it’s not just the country, but the world.
At the opening of the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) annual assembly of member states on May 24, the United Nation (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres had urged recognition of the fact that “we are at war with a virus” and had called for countries to apply “wartime logic” to fight the virus that had killed 3.4 million people then.
One would have thought that a wartime logic would mean the establishment of a wartime Cabinet or simply a war Cabinet — that is, a committee formed by a government in a time of war which should be kept relatively to allow efficient execution of the war effort.
But Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, in his wisdom, appointed Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) deputy president Ahmad Faizal Azumu as a special advisor to him which would put Ahmad Faizal on the same level as a federal minister.
“He will be responsible for advising the prime minister on matters of community affairs, community communications and socio-economic development.
“The office congratulates Faizal on this appointment,” the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said in a statement.
A war Cabinet, though, remains to be appointed. A wartime logic has been a war cry of some citizens for some time now. (See for example Sheriffah Noor Khamseah Al-Idid’s “Urgent need to apply wartime logic in Malaysia’s response to Covid-19“)
In April 1943, Lord Beaverbrook offered his thoughts on the British War Cabinet in the House of Lords (the upper house like the Dewan Negara):
“What then, it may be asked, do I conceive to be the functions of members of the War Cabinet in dealing with the conduct of the war?
“First of all, they must tender advice to the Prime Minister. Their advice must be based on a knowledge of plans and projects, upon a study of operations and upon reflection on the course of events.
“Secondly, they must give helpful assistance to the Prime Minister, subordinating all else in public conduct and Departmental administration to the advancement of the policies and the decisions of the Government.
“Thirdly, they must retain the confidence of Parliament — of this House and of the House of Commons — and hold that confidence not only as individual Ministers but for the whole Government and for the Prime Minister. No doubt the Prime Minister himself will command a degree of confidence in Parliament far outstripping that of any Cabinet Minister, but it is the duty of these Ministers to gain, to retain and to enhance the confidence of Parliament and of the public in the Government of which they are members.
“Fourthly, they must exercise watchful supervision over the conduct of the war.
“Fifthly, they must complain if there is any default or failure in judgment or duty on the part of the Prime Minister and, as a last resort, bring to an end a Government where the Prime Minister diverges from a sound conception of war policy and strategy.”
Thoughts of wisdom. Nonetheless, a war Cabinet there should be. One that should be kept to a relatively small number of individuals to allow efficient execution of the war effort.
When normal Cabinet committee processes are too cumbersome to keep pace with the demands of decision making — with or without a special advisor on the same level as a federal minister — a war Cabinet should be the way to go.
Perhaps after standing behind the prime minister in a show of support, members of the Cabinet can stand down to make way for a war Cabinet.
A show of support for the rakyat.
* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail.
