A SARAWAK minister lost his cool over fake social media postings on the rabies outbreak in the state and with politicians whom he accused of being “talking specialists” and sparking panic.

State Housing and Local Government Minister Prof Dr Sim Kui Hian, who holds a watching brief on health for the state cabinet, today lashed out at those giving suggestions to and criticising the state over its handling of the rabies outbreak.

He did not name names but his outburst follows recent remarks by Sarawak DAP leaders, Bandar Kuching MP Chong Chieng Jen, Chong’s assistant Dr Kelvin Yii, and Bukit Assek assemblyman Irene Chang.

If the state were to heed their advice to ward every reported dog bite victim, “the hospitals would be filled with these people and there would be no room for other patients”, Dr Sim said at an event in a school in Stampin.

Chong had failed to get the rabies outbreak debated in the Dewan Rakyat sitting in Kuala Lumpur earlier this week and upon his return to Kuching, accused the state government of not being pro-active in catching strays. Chong suggested that soldiers be drafted to help round up stray dogs and that quarantine areas be marked out where  the dogs could be vaccinated.

He also suggested that dogs that tested positive for rabies be culled and an adoption programme to home healthy dogs.

Chong said the number of rabies-affected areas was on the increase and accused the authorities of not dealing with strays properly, despite knowing that strays carried and transmitted the virus.

Chang, meanwhile, said the Sarawak government should press “the panic button to make sure that we stay ahead of the virus and are not trailing behind”.

Dr Sim said the suggestions made by these “talking specialists” would only lead to mismanagement and misallocation of resources.

He was also upset over a viral WhatsApp message that had made it necessary for the state disaster management committee to declare the message a hoax and to clarify that the heavily populated part of the city in Petra Jaya was rabies-free.

Sarawak police are investigating a report lodged by a committee official on Monday over fake posts about rabies in various social media and chat groups

As of yesterday, the state Health Department has detected 1,075 people who have been bitten by dogs since April 1. Yesterday alone, 59 new cases of dog bites were reported by the department. – July 28, 2017.