Does Menteri Air Suam have a lukewarm attitude towards fighting Covid-19?


DURING Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) time in government, former health minister Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad actively championed the war against Covid-19.

He was always at the forefront, giving Malaysia the strong leadership and direction it needed in the face of an unprecedented crisis.

Now PH may have been overthrown, but it doesn’t change the fact that our country still needs strong leadership and direction, if not more than ever before.

Why is our health minister not leading the fight against Covid-19? More importantly, why isn’t Dr Adham Baba delivering?

Back when PH was still in power, there were only 22 cases and no fatalities then.

Dzulkefly handled the outbreak so well that he was even praised by the World Helath Organisation (WHO) itself. The gentle fatherly figure knew exactly what he was doing, what needed to be done, and this was evident to all.

In addition, we never saw our Health Director-General Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah having to fight this war all by himself. He and Dzulkefly were always working side-by-side, neither had to carry such a heavy burden alone.

Malaysians could go to sleep at night knowing we were in safe hands.   

But ever since the gut-wrenching coup of February 29, we no longer have that same peace of mind. Adham has shown glaring inadequacies, with his half-baked conduct earning him ridicule both at home and abroad.

For the past two months, Noor Hisham is the one who has risen to the occasion instead, showing both commitment and leadership where his own minister has failed spectacularly.

Furthermore, he has had to make up for the latter’s exasperating blunders. Yet despite being noticeably worn out, he has maintained nothing but a calm and professional front throughout.

Noor Hisham’s tireless efforts certainly haven’t gone unnoticed. In a 20-minute video he recorded with Dr Siti Hasmah Mohamad Ali, former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad himself paid tribute to our director-general, expressing gratitude and appreciation for Noor Hisham’s dedication in leading the war against our invisible enemy.

Likewise, netizens have also lauded him a national hero. What’s more, Noor Hisham has also been chosen as one of the signatories to a new international coalition formed to tackle the pandemic, the Covid-19 Clinical Research Coalition.

So here’s the nagging question. While Noor Hisham has been very diligent, what has Menteri Air Suam been doing? What about his two deputies?

We don’t even hear from Menteri Air Suam’s right hand men, should we be thankful? The nation is going through such a distressing time with cases going through the roof, yet they have been notably absent.

From comments suggesting that the virus was showing signs of a plateau to warm water killing Covid-19, Adham’s ignorance has done nothing but harm and damage to our country.

His latest senseless antic was to ban Malaysians from seeking medical treatment at facilities beyond 10km from their homes April 1 onwards, which he had to retract yesterday after sparking outrage in patients and healthcare providers.

Malaysia needs a health minister who can help us weather this storm, and it’s not Adham. While Dzulkefly has shown us just what a competent and effective gentleman he is, Adham on the other hand, has shown us that he isn’t just shockingly unqualified, he’s a clueless clown too.

Health is a human right. Therefore, Malaysians deserve better.

The Health Ministry staff deserve better. Our frontliners deserve better.

Dzulkefly, we miss you dearly. And Noor Hisham, we’re so proud of you.

As for you Adham, shame on you. Please have the sense to resign before you cause this country even greater embarrassment. – April 5, 2020.

* Lara Ling reads The Malaysian Insight.

* 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.


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Comments


  • Backdoor ministers tak tahu malu.

    Posted 3 years ago by Rupert Lum · Reply

  • PM tunggu apa lagi. Pecat lah orang yg tidak boleh deliver. Kan tu PM promise?

    Posted 3 years ago by Tanahair Ku · Reply

  • Backdoor is backdoor No history can change tis. It only can happen in malaysia bcoz all morons are in the frontline administration. JUST WAIT FOR JUDGEMENT DAY U WILL GET UR PRIZE. What One SOW So Shall One REAP. Corona Virus has send a clear msg that GOD IS ONE.

    Posted 3 years ago by Lucky Boy · Reply

  • The PN cabinet comprise either idiots or crooks

    Posted 3 years ago by S L · Reply

  • Aiyah, as if you all DIDN'T know that since independence .....

    ...... most cabinet ministers were NOT picked based on merit, integrity, competency, capability, etc

    (..... including the PH government. Remember black shoes and flying car ministers?)

    Otherwise, Malaysia wouldn't be in the sh!thole it is now in.

    Posted 3 years ago by Malaysian First · Reply

  • Don't forget that Dr Wan Azizah was actually spearheading the efforts against COVID 19 as head of NADMA..Malaysia's disaster management agency..of the 70 strong cabinet has retreated into a shell under the pretext of this MCO..often attracting brickbats when they surface for their silly irrelevant antics..

    Then deputy health minister Dr Lee Boon Chye was no lightweight himself

    But demi agama dan bangsa, the coup was mooted and executed...demi negara?

    Muhyiddin, Ismail Sabri.. can you name any other Minister who has been actively in the forefront

    Posted 3 years ago by Julian Nagelsmann · Reply

  • The entire new cabinet team is incompetent to deliver. Sad story for Malaysia. Worse is coming, rakyat must curse and punish those initiate the govt change that will lead us to ....

    Posted 3 years ago by James Wong · Reply

  • Muhyiddin, what are you doing ? KIck the Menteri Air Suam out ! Bikin Melayu malu saja !

    Posted 3 years ago by Masfaliza masmuda · Reply

  • 71 ministers to please the components party at the taxpayer's expense. The end result is a big bunch of clowns and idiots shooting at their own feet. Attracting international media with all the sarcasm and cynism to paint Malaysia a laughing stock. When will we ever learn? Maybe only after the country is reincarnated.

    Posted 3 years ago by Justin Leno · Reply