THE government might as well allow a full reopening of the economy and international borders since its leaders lack personal compliance and public accountability on Covid-19 protocols, DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng said today.

This comes after Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob defended Defence Minister Hishammuddin Hussein against calls for his resignation after he violated Covid-19 standard operating procedures (SOP) at a political event in Johor with Menteri Besar Hasni Mohammad and MIC president S. Vigneswaran.

Lim, the MP for Bagan, also pointed out that the government has not held any Covid-19 meetings in the past 100 days. Hishammuddin chairs the Covid-19 Quartet Ministers’ meetings.

He said ministers allowed to break SOP and receive a mere RM1,000 fine would encourage organisers to plan similar gatherings.

“To ensure fairness and a level playing field, such public events and ceramah should be allowed and opened to all, whether in the political or business arena,” Lim said in a statement.

“Law-abiding citizens and the general public, suffering from the Covid-19 SOP, are angry at Ismail’s ridiculous rationale that Hishammuddin need not resign after receiving a fine for violating Covid-19 protocols because this is not a crime.”

Lim further chastised the prime minister and said by coming to Hishammuddin’s defence, Ismail has forgotten that this is a question of personal responsibility and public accountability for a minister entrusted with managing and announcing Covid-19 SOP.

“How can Hishammuddin impress upon the public the gravity of Covid-19 and the need to comply with the SOP if he does not show leadership by example and flagrantly violates the very protocols that he introduced?

“When a lawmaker turns into a lawbreaker, which is what Hishammuddin and Hasni have become, they would have to resign in any functioning democracy, as countless ministers have done in the West.

“Hishammuddin had tried to pin the blame on the organisers for failing to control the crowd, which gives rise to suspicions of political favouritism because MIC and all participants were not punished,” Lim said.

He said, aside from Hishammuddin breaking the very SOP he established, the prime minister is not serious about battling the latest wave of Covid-19, pointing out that he has not called for a meeting of the Special Committee on the Management of the Covid-19 pandemic since November 5.

“Or is the lackadaisical attitude of Ismail and his ministers due to the Covid-19 pandemic becoming endemic like the common flu?” he said.

“This gives rise to suspicions about the real extent of the latest wave of Covid-19 infections and whether it has been politicised by irresponsible quarters to benefit the selfish interests of political parties, especially in the coming Johor elections.”

On Sunday, Khairy announced that Hishammuddin and Vigneswaran will receive compound notices for breaking Covid-19 regulations during the Johor MIC political event in Iskandar Puteri.

Khairy added that he has also told enforcement officers to issue a compound notice to Hasni over the Johor MIC Brigade launch that all three attended.

In response, the prime minister yesterday dismissed calls to remove Hishammuddin from chairing the Covid-19 Quartet Ministerial meeting, saying the violation of the SOP by the minister is not considered a crime. – February 15, 2022.