THERE will be more deaths in Sabah if Putrajaya waits for Budget 2021 allocations before dispensing them to the state to fight Covid-19, warned Lim Kit Siang today.

The Iskandar Puteri member of Parliament said a longer wait for allocations could see some 29 people dying in Sabah of Covid-19 by next Friday, which is when the budget is to be presented.

He added that there is an urgent need for a special humanitarian crisis package for Sabah now.

“The third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic in Malaysia has claimed 102 lives in Sabah in the first 28 days of October, averaging a fatality rate of 3.64 lives daily.

“If we wait for another eight days until November 6, we may see another 29.12 fatalities,” he said in a statement.

He added that in contrast, eight lives were lost in the rest of Malaysia during the past four weeks.

“It would be most irresponsible and unconscionable to deny Sabahans a special humanitarian crisis package immediately, as Putrajaya must accept responsibility for the skyrocketing of 426 Covid-19 cases and eight deaths on September 1 to 13,701 Covid-19 cases and 114 deaths (in Sabah) yesterday.

“This is an increase of Covid-19 cases by 32 times and fatalities by more than 14 times.”

He also said Sabah’s humanitarian crisis in the third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic was also the result of the long-standing neglect of the federal and Sabah state governments.

This had resulted in Sabah becoming the poorest state in Malaysia with the most backward infrastructure development.

“This is the time when Putrajaya should give emergency aid to Sabahans who are facing a humanitarian crisis, keeping in mind that Sabah’s oil and gas revenue has provided billions to the national coffers.”

Yesterday, director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said the ministry is expecting higher allocations in the upcoming Budget 2021.

Noor Hisham said with more allocations, the ministry will be able to provide the best healthcare to the public, including setting up infectious disease hospitals and sending healthcare workers and experts for more training and courses. – October 29, 2020.