MORE than 80 civil society groups have called on the government to accelerate the Covid-19 vaccination drive.

The groups, which include trade and clan associations, said that vaccination should be the government’s first priority as repeated lockdown measures are not sustainable for the livelihoods of families and businesses.

The groups also said that vaccination is crucial to the restoration of the economy, adding that it would help reduce unemployment rate and business closures.

“The government should directly issue orders and provide simplified procedures and coordinate with private clinics to accelerate vaccination in the country,” the groups said in a 9-point memorandum that they intend to submit to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

The groups also urged the government to expedite testing in affected areas to curb the rapid spread of the virus. 

Tan Poh Seng of the National Covid-19 Economic Recovery Steering Committee said that the groups had to resort to airing their grievances to the Agong as the government had failed in their pandemic policies.

Tan said that the government has also imposed excessive and unreasonable penalties on the people. 

“The people are collectively of the view that the situation of the pandemic is very serious in Malaysia and that the government had failed to prevent the spread of the disease.

“We blame the government for causing huge losses to the people’s livelihood, families, lives, assets, businesses and the country’s economy ever since the outbreak of the coronavirus disease,” he said.

The groups added that they are willing to cooperate with the government on any policies to combat the pandemic, but are opposed to any “incomplete and indecisive policy”.

In their 9-point proposal, they also said the government should allow the use of traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of Covid, direct the central bank to provide an uncondititional and automatic moratorium to individuals and businesses, as well as to direct utility providers to immediately stop charging consumers until the lifting of the lockdown. – July 17, 2021.