THE menteris besar and chief ministers of Selangor, Kedah, Negri Sembilan, Sabah and Penang were not invited to a meeting on Covid-19 by the prime minister on the movement control order he announced last night.

The Pakatan Harapan secretariat council, which revealed this today, said it was disappointing that Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin did not include the heads of these state governments on such a serious matter.

All the aforementioned states have PH state governments, while in Kedah, Bersatu is still cooperating with PH even though the party has left the coalition at the federal level.

These states have also been affected by Covid-19 cases, besides comprising about 40% of the country’s population.

“We regret Putrajaya’s move not to invite the menteris besar and chief ministers of these states.

“If it is because they are not running their state government in the same political direction as the federal government now, then it is the people who will suffer because of such narrow political thinking,” the secretariat council said in a statement, as Malaysia reported its first two Covid-19 deaths and a total of 673 cases today.

Meanwhile, Selangor Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari also tweeted his disappointment after Muhyiddin posted photos of the meeting on Facebook.

“Selangor is the state most affected by Covid-19; we’re disappointed not to have been involved in important matters that involve the lives of the people. This is against the spirit of working together, which the state is willing to do with all parties, including the federal government,” Amirudin wrote.

Selangor adalah negeri yang terkesan besar dengan wabak covid 19, pentadbiran negeri dukacita tidak dilibatkan dalam urusan penting melibatkan nyawa manusia seperti ini. Jelas bertentangan dengan sikap terbuka negeri utk bekerjasama dengan semua pihak termasuk kerajaan pusat pic.twitter.com/7Jr64MEOpW

— Amirudin Shari (@AmirudinShari) March 17, 2020

Muhyiddin on Monday night in a special live telecast announced the movement control order effective tomorrow until March 31.

It involves a ban on mass gatherings, including religious, sports, cultural events and wedding receptions. 

Malaysians cannot leave the country, including for work in Singapore and Thailand, while foreigners are banned from entering during the two-week period.

Schools, universities and colleges must also close.

Only government and private-sector essential services, as well as supermarkets and shops selling food and essential items, may operate during the period.

The Prime Minister’s Office has been asked by journalists to comment on why the heads of PH state governments were not invited to the meeting in a media WhatsApp group set up by the PMO.

There is no response yet at the time of writing. – March 17, 2020.