AN attempt to prop up beleaguered Health Minister Adham Baba’s credentials was lampooned on social media after he claimed that he had spoken to 500 countries.
In a Facebook live session with Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, the health minister also said he was confident that what he had done so far in his capacity as the minister was recognised globally.
“I have had video conferences with the WHO (World Health Organisation), I did a live video conference with the health ministers from China, Singapore and also a live conference with Asean ministers,” he said.
“I have done video conferences with the WHO, (and) 500 countries,” he told the Umno president.
The minister also praised himself for using the tagline Kita Mesti Menang every time he made an appearance or posted something on his social media.
Adham also blamed the previous government for failing to curb the tabligh cluster, which sparked from a gathering at the Sri Petaling Mosque on February 27.
“If the tabligh cluster was prevented, there would be no second wave. We may only have small clusters,” he said in the call, which was live-streamed on Zahid’s Facebook page.
Former minister Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said Adham should be providing stewardship for the Health Ministry and not blaming the previous government for the situation.
“Faced with a grave epidemic, the nation would like to see the minister providing stewardship and strategic leadership that can complement the role taken on by Health director-general (Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah),” he told Malaysiakini.
Dzulkefly told the portal that if Adham insists on finding fault over the Sri Petaling cluster, he should be aware that approval for such gatherings falls under the Home Ministry’s purview, not the Health Ministry’s.
The Pakatan Harapan government collapsed on February 24 after then home minister Muhyiddin Yassin pulled his party, Bersatu, out of the coalition. Muhyiddin was then appointed prime minister of the new Perikatan Nasional coalition.
Social media users on Twitter ridiculed the health minister’s statement that he had spoken to 500 countries. There are 195 countries in the world.
Casual Malaysian on Twitter congratulated Adham on finding and recruiting an additional 305 countries into the World Health Organisation (WHO).
“It was Adham Baba who first explored the world, not Christopher Columbus. #MalaysianPride” said Amirul Hakim on Twitter.
Learique on Twitter said Health Director-General Noor Hisham and Adham are 500 countries and light years apart.
“One is a breaker of circuit; the other short circuit.” he said.
JustinTWJ on Twitter said the health minister must be unhappy that he doesn’t get as much appreciation as former health minister Dzulkefly, who was often praised.
“Meanwhile, he’s still being ridiculed over his ‘air suam’ comment and now tryna (trying to) claim 500 countries listened to him,” Justin tweeted.
Zaidel Baharuddin @Sinatra Z reminded Adham not to blame the PH government as the majority of the current ministers are from the previous cabinet with the current prime minister being the home minister at that time.
Last month, the health minister drew criticism from social media users and health workers after he said on national television that drinking warm water can kill the Covid-19 virus.
He also earned ridicule when he declared there are 15 states in the country. – April 19, 2020.
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