FORMER minister Rafidah Aziz today chided the Perikatan Nasional government for the last-minute announcement of extending the current lockdown.

She said in a Facebook post that the government decision could have an effect on everyone.

“Please do not announce lockdowns at the last hour, especially when there was already an earlier end date.

“Many, especially small and medium enterprises, own account workers and businesses, in general, would have made plans to make new investments, begin operations, hiring anew, even,” she posted.

Earlier today, Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said the movement control order (MCO) would not end tomorrow.

He said that MCO 3.0 will continue until the threshold value of new Covid-19 cases reported a day drops to less than 4,000.

Muhyiddin also said the government would announce more comprehensive assistance to all groups of society tomorrow or on Tuesday.

The total lockdown began on June 1 and was supposed to last until June 14, but was extended till June 28, and has now been extended again.

Rafidah said that it was clear that micro enterprises such as those operating various stalls have been very hard-pressed to earn their daily keep.

“They need to be given proper aid and not just dishing out cash. They need to be sustained over the longer term.”

She said that a special policy be drawn to allow these businesses to operate during the pandemic.

“Set aside proper areas for them to operate and segregate (them) as per standard operating procedure (SOP), by the type of business, like food, attire and fresh items. Ensure SOPs are enforced on both vendors and customers.

“Give them special free permits to do business. Identify which categories of businesses can be allowed to operate, with well-enforced safety and security parameters. Restaurants can do takeaways and deliveries, these small businesses cannot.”

She said that it was very important that incoherent policy measures and endless politicking do not kill the nation more than what Covid-19.

“The national recovery plan is not about recovery from Covid-19. It’s about parallel planning on how to ensure that society and economy can begin to function all in an effective manner, along common sense and logical timelines.”

Rafidah also said that the government should lift the emergency and convene Parliament so that the country and the people can actually feel that sense of normalcy.

“There must be co-ordination of policies and approaches between federal and all state governments.

“We are one nation. Only then can there be coherence in managing the pandemic.

“Please focus on the interests of the people and nation… not to be self-serving.”

Rafidah added that statesmen should not think about the next general election but of the next generation.

“Our next generation has lost more than a year in education, skills enhancement, and opportunities.” – June 27, 2021.