KUCHING: Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr James Jemut Masing is of the opinion that the movement control order (MCO) is an outdated strategy.
“I have said it many times, but the Ministry of Health or Kuala Lumpur thought differently,” he said yesterday (July 26).
Instead, he reiterated the importance of being inoculated against Covid-19.
He said vaccination was important to contain the deadly virus and that focus on vaccine acquisition and vaccinating the people needs to be a priority.
Masing, who is also the Baleh assemblyman, said this in reference to Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) advisor Datuk Seri Dr Sim Kui Hian’s statement that there is a drop in severe cases of Covid-19 and usage of intensive care units (ICUs) in the state.
Dr Sim said that this could be attributed to the effects of the vaccines where nearly 80 percent of Sarawakian adults have received their first dose and over 50 percent have completed both vaccine doses as of July 22.
“This was what I had anticipated; that the vaccine is the answer to contain Covid-19,” Masing said.
He also said the ‘jab first, record later’ approach, mooted by Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg, was the best strategy to control the spread of the virus.
“The MCO kills small and medium enterprises (SMEs), but not Covid-19,” he said.
