MALAYSIA is increasingly showing the marks of a failed state in its inability to respond effectively to the Covid-19 pandemic and lack of urgency in convening parliament, said Lim Kit Siang.

The DAP lawmaker said among the many failings of the government was its distorted sense of national priorities.

He said if this were allowed to continue, Malaysia would have a million Covid-19 cases and 10,000 deaths by Merdeka Day on August 31.

“Covid-19 cases are projected to remain in the 6,000 cases zone in the first half of July when Malaysia should have made the transition from phase 1 to phase 2 of the national recovery plan by achieving the threshold of less than 4,000 cases at the end of June,” the Iskandar Puteri MP said in a statement.

“Something is very wrong with Malaysia’s war against Covid-19 pandemic when there are 2,374 fatalities in June in Malaysia, compared to 358 fatalities in the United Kingdom in the same month.

This means the UK, which has a population of 66 million, recorded only 15% of the Covid deaths in Malaysia with a population of 32 million.

“This is why there must be an immediate convening of parliament on the worsening Covid-19 pandemic in Malaysia as soon as possible.”

He said the government continued to show a lack of urgency even after Malaysia was ranked 35th in the world for the biggest caseload with 750,000 infections and more than 5,000 deaths.

Lim said if the number of Covid-19 infections and deaths in the first three days of the month remained constant, Malaysia would have logged a million infections and 10,000 deaths by the time it it marked its 64th year of independence.

By Malaysia Day on September 16, the numbers would exceed 1.2 million cases and 11,000 deaths.

“In those circumstances, what would be there to celebrate on the 64th anniversary of National Day and the 58th anniversary of Malaysia Day?”

He said Malaysia was also one of the world’s worst performing nations in the Covid-19 pandemic, with only four other countries with over 800,000 Covid-19 cases and two countries with over 900,000 cases.

“If the present rate of Covid-19 infection in Malaysia is not checked, we will join the ‘million club of nations’ with over a million Covid-19 cases to mark our 64th National Day on August 31, 2021.”

Malaysia yesterday logged 6,658 new virus cases for a caseload of 772,607. A hundred and seven people died from infection to make it 5,434 deaths in total.

Daily cases have ranged from 5,000 to 6,000 despite a full lockdown order enforced since June 1.

Large swathes of the Klang Valley are also under an enhanced movement control order starting yesterday.  – July 4, 2021.