THE Association for Community and Dialogue welcomes Ipoh Barat MP M. Kula Segaran’s suggestion to set up a truth commission to investigate into the previous Perikatan Nasional administration’s alleged abuse of the emergency ordinance.

Former prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin’s reason for the emergency was to curb Covid-19 cases, and this warrants a serious investigation.

When the emergency was declared, daily infections hit 3,309 in January, but mushroomed to 22,948 in August.

Malaysia saw a minimum 48 Covid-19 deaths in March last year, and a maximum 26,335 Covid-19 deaths last month.

The question in the minds of Malaysians is: did the emergency rule solve the problem it intended to solve? Or was it a tool used to subdue the power struggle within the coalition?

Malaysians who have lost their loved ones have the right to know why the then government had failed to contain Covid-19, despite the emergency.

The country seems to have an imbedded defensive political culture that lacks accountability. The survival of the political elites at all cost takes precedence over what might have been the most dignified manner in addressing the nation’s issues. Leaders who have failed in their duties are recycled in the cabinet.

The establishment of the truth commission should be a way to address the corrupt political culture, incompetency and the overall effectiveness of the emergency in addressing the Covid-19 pandemic. – October 27, 2021.

* Ronald Benjamin is Association for Community and Dialogue secretary.

* This is the opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insight. Article may be edited for brevity and clarity.