A PASTOR, who is a good friend of mine, said I was not right to promote the use of “cronyvirus” when the real challenge we face is the coronavirus, which has been declared a global emergency.

Sorry, pastor, but what I was putting forward was, “cronyvirus” and coronavirus cases have similar infection and inflection points in how they spread.

Money is essentially physical, dead matter. Its real value is applied through a complex model of economic and financial exchange rates, risk factors, its amount in the market and the related uncertainties, with economists all the time claiming that it is pegged to either gold, the US dollar or Chinese renminbi.

Though the World Health Organisation has declared Covid-19 a pandemic, the full nature of the disease is still unclear. Nevertheless, many countries have gone into a partial or full lockdown, and rightly so.

Negative vetting always Level 1 clearance

While the Health Ministry must be firm in handling the pandemic, there is no need to create fear about what’s happening.

Positive testing for the virus is very expensive, and at what stage it should be done remains a question. I’m no medical practitioner, but the son of a pharmacist. I grew up around medicines; they were always in the air, and not just their smell, either.

My concern is as follows: the first round of negative vetting, or initial screening, should be done at the level of general practice clinics. They are always the nearest and cheapest, besides government clinics.

These Level 1 medical professionals can quite easily verify the necessary negative vetting protocols. This can be done right and well using simple, standard tests available at the GP level with good clerking.

Only when one has more serious symptoms, like a high temperature, dry cough and/or chest congestion, should the GP refer them for positive testing to confirm infection.

Malaysia is still a middle-income, developing country that is somewhat wasteful in terms of lifestyle and governance. However, we have achieved much in the last 50 years. Sufficient-quality basic standards are there.

Public service vetting

In the past, certain government officers were subjected to positive vetting before they could be confirmed full-time, permanent positions. This was done before the terms of such appointments were abused.

Public officials, including police and military officers, had to undergo positive vetting. Special Branch would conduct bioinformatics and background checks, with officers going to one’s hometown to look into every factor declared by the actor in question.

The majority of public service appointments only needed negative vetting to ensure they had never been involved in inappropriate or illegal activities, such as crime or drugs. It was testing against a blacklist.

The way forward

Positive vetting, which costs far more than negative vetting, can be done by government departments or hired private investigators. The same is true to check for any virus, and the follow-up treatment is even more costly.

While the eighth prime minister may have carried out some kind of vetting before appointing his cabinet, he needs to recognise that Rakyat Malaysia (RM) expect a lot more from a government established through a coup.

Though the obviously corrupt have been kept out of his cabinet, RM will not tolerate any sort of abuse anymore, whether of monies, health information or conduct.

A clip of the Sabah chief minister walking through a Covid-19 inspection elicited lots of reactions, and then corrections. The media – social media, especially – is watching. Fake symbolism will be rejected outright.

The PM and his ministers need to be negative vetted, and if found to be “infected”, they require positive vetting. There has to be a new regime for dealing with both types of infections. Failure means death.

Both viruses’ infection rates are the same. All politicians are equally untrustworthy, infected in varying degrees. Only positive vetting can verify.

Therefore, I call on all Malaysians to not cease demanding that politicians keep their hands clean. We the people will then help define or refine the value of the ringgit.

Rates will improve only when we are confident that those in power are fit to continue governing our lives. Following this, investors will also respond right. – March 23, 2020.

* KJ John worked in public service for 32 years, retired, and started a civil group for which he is chairman of the board. He writes to inform and educate, arguing for integration with integrity in Malaysia. He believes such a transformation has to start with the mind before it sinks into the heart!

* This is the opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insight. Article may be edited for brevity and clarity.