FORMER prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad said today that his national recovery council (NCR) was briefed by the director-general of health Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah on the government’s efforts to curb the spread of the Covid-19 virus in the country.

Dr Mahathir said in a briefing session today that Noor Hisham apprised his recovery council of the steps that had been taken by the government and its future plans to bring down the number of Covid-19 cases. 

This is the council’s first meeting.

“Noor Hisham was present to brief and to listen to our suggestions. And if he can implement them, we hope he can do it,” he said at a virtual press conference held on Zoom today.

Dr Mahathir added that although his council is not officially recognised by the government, he hopes that Putrajaya will still accept its suggestions.

“We can no longer wait for the government to take action, we as concerned citizens agree that a body must be set up to discuss the Covid-19 situation.

“We are not bogged down by politics and we want to focus on managing the pandemic,” he said, adding that 18 individuals attended the meeting today.

The Langkawi lawmaker added that his previous suggestions, such as setting up a mobile vaccination unit to inoculate those in villages, had been implemented by the government.

“Coincidentally, they seem to be doing what we were suggesting. Maybe we can make more suggestions so the government can try to implement them,” Dr Mahathir said, adding that he will be sending a proposal of what was discussed at the meeting today to the relevant authorities.

Suggestions provided by the council spearheaded by the former prime minister include increasing the current daily vaccination rate of 500,000, setting up more quarantine centres, abolishing testing fees, supplying people with food aid, and increasing public awareness on Covid-19 standard operating procedure.

Last month, Dr Mahathir named four politicians, five people for economic matters, six doctors, two individuals on legal issues, and three on education to his national recovery council.

The government has also set up its own NCR which is headed by Finance Minister Tengku Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz. – August 5, 2021.