MPs: Give 10 mil face masks to frontliners, public for free, gov’t urged

• UPDATED March 23 |  Include statement by Transport Minister Wee Ka Siong

CORONAVIRUS | DAP elected representatives are urging the government to take control of the 10 million masks it received from China and distribute it for free directly to frontliners and households.

This is after the government said it would prioritise distributing the masks to frontliners on duty, while the leftovers will be accessible to the public via the open market.

DAP’s Klang MP Charles Santiago today said masks, hand sanitiser and soap must be given for free to all households.

“We are facing a national emergency and global pandemic. Infections are rapidly rising and so are the deaths, pushing families into despair.

“Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, do the right thing, please?” he said in a statement.

DAP’s Kapayang assemblyperson Dr Ko Chung Sen, who is a medical doctor, said in the hospital he works in, masks are supplied free to staff but are in short supply.

“We are already running low on the supply to the extent that the hospital is contemplating closing down the operating theatres and wards.

“The suppliers are now also asking for ever-higher prices from the hospitals and doctors, knowing very well there is a hungrier market out there,” he said in a statement.

He thus urged the government to take control of tall 10 million masks to ensure they only go to those who need it, especially medical staff in hospitals.

Earlier, veteran DAP MP Lim Kit Siang has called on the government to distribute the 10 million face masks from China for free to Malaysians, especially frontline staff.

He said this would help eliminate the situation of members of the public being allegedly turned away from public offices for not wearing a protective face mask.

“The government should distribute the 10 million face masks from China free to Malaysians, giving priority to the frontliners in the war against Covid-19.

“After the frontliners (such as) those who are handling the Covid-19 cases, clinics, Ministry of Health (officers), police, immigration and military personnel, the balance of the 10 million face masks from China should be equitably distributed to all Malaysians through members of Parliament, regardless of party politics," Lim (above) said.

This is as demand for the mask is outstripping the supply in the country, leading to the new Perikatan Nasional government to halt all face mask exports while encouraging imports and increasing the price of three-ply masks to help address the problem.

Yesterday, it was reported that 10 million pieces of face masks will be brought in from China to help meet the shortage, as part of an agreement between the two countries.

Meanwhile, Works Minister Fadillah Yusof, had also assured that face masks would be distributed by the National Disaster Management Agency and priority would be given to frontliners.

“The priority for these masks will be the frontliners, those who are handling Covid-19 cases, clinics, Ministry of Health, police, Immigration and military personnel, among others, ” he reportedly said.

He added if there were extra masks, if any, would be put on the market for the public.

Meanwhile, Transport Minister Wee Ka Siong later reportedly stated that the masks had been purchased from China.