YOURSAY | ‘Why attack someone who is not in Parliament to defend himself?’

Heated outcry after Bintulu MP's 'DG afraid to die' remark

Doc: This is the problem with our parliamentarians, including Bintulu MP Tiong King Sing.

These politicians are not healthcare professionals, they have no idea how to manage a pandemic and no idea how a virus works but are very fast in criticising healthcare professionals who are actually working hard to control this pandemic and putting their lives on the line for the nation's wellbeing.

It is the duty of the Health director-general (DG) Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah to coordinate a national response to Covid-19. Not a "Sabah response” but a national one. If only the Bintulu MP understands how health services work in this country.

The Health DG is informed of the situation on the ground by his public health care and medical specialists in that area. And that information provided to Noor Hisham is gathered by a huge army of doctors, nurses, medical assistance and ministry personnel.

He will then use the information he gets from the ground to consult with his fellow experts in the field of virology, infectious diseases, pulmonology, anaesthesia, public health experts and such on how to tackle this Covid-19 problem "medically and professionally" using the best scientific and global medical information available.

This is how the medical profession works in Malaysia and globally. It does not work using spinal reflex just like what the Bintulu MP is doing.

To become a certified medical expert in Malaysia, it takes years of studying in medical school, not to mention years of studying to be a specialist and passing multiple exams, and the learning never stops. Then, there is the gathering of experience with on-the-job training.

To become an MP in Malaysia, one does not need high IQ, high education levels or high intellect. Any simpleton can become an MP, and that is why most of our MPs are like so.

And that is why Malaysia is in this bad state at the moment.

Kickstart: So, Tiong is not afraid to die? Why doesn't he prove that? Sabah is under lockdown, and the only logical and right thing for the DG to do is to work with the people who are already on the ground in Sabah.

I don't see Tiong doing a thing to help the situation except spewing nonsense in Parliament. He should show that he's earning his salary as an MP.

Being the special envoy to China, he should find out how China is successful in dealing with the pandemic and share lessons learned to our authorities here. But this sorry chap doesn't seem to have a clue.

Odysseus: Tiong is just trying to seek attention. Why attack someone who is not in Parliament to defend himself? Why not attack his colleague - the ‘air suam’ (warm water) minister - for the Covid-19 crisis the country is facing?

By singling out the DG for Sabah’s Covid-19 situation, Tiong is confirming that all the real work is done by civil servants. Why need so many ministers?

Apa Aku Dapat: Tiong should ask if the health minister and his two deputies are afraid to die. Have these three gone to the ground in Sabah?

Anonymous 79: Although I agree with the Bintulu MP that the DG should go to the Sabah battleground, why did he not ask the other VIPs such as the prime minister, health minister, and other government officers to go to Sabah?

Take the previous environment disasters that occurred in the country. Pakatan Harapan leaders went to the ground and had a first look for themselves.

But in the Sabah Covid-19 crisis, no government VIPs have gone to the epicentre. Is it that they are afraid to die too?

Before the Sabah election, Perikatan Nasional, Bersatu, MCA, MIC Umno, BN and GRS promised heaven and earth to Sabahans. But now, where are these leaders?

Where is former premier Najib Abdul Razak especially? He should go and visit every hospital and ask Sabahans what they need.

Don't just always ask for money. Maybe what Sabahans want is not money. Money is not everything. Even if you have money, you can't use it to bring back the dead.

Mvarughi: With all due respect to the DG, like all things in Bolehland, he has been over-glorified for just doing his job.

Even before the pandemic is over and the mission is accomplished, he has been put on a pedestal as an all-time hero and even accorded the Tan Sri title prematurely.

Honestly, the DG needs to ‘turun padang’ (go to the ground) and start doing some strategic management of the pandemic instead of spending every day reading out his hour-long reports.

Don't tell us that there is no one else in the Health Ministry who can do that. We would expect a top-notch professional to know when and what to delegate.

Yang Benar: Where is the health minister? He should defend the DG. It seems that only the DG has the expertise to answer and present all the details about the Covid-19 situation in the country.

Why can't the deputy speaker support the DG? You are hurting all frontliners.

Newday: Why did deputy speaker Azalina Othman Said eject Jelutong MP RSN Rayer from Parliament for objecting to Tiong’s remark?

The other guy put the death wish on the DG with his cheap shot!

Vijay47: The simplicity with which Azalina resolved the Tiong issue is sheer brilliance, akin to King Solomon slicing the Gordian Knot, a feat actually achieved by Alexander the Great. But who’s counting when at least two kings are involved.

So our local lady of wisdom offers Tiong the choice of withdrawing his comment or clarifying it. Tiong promptly announced he would not retract it and the deputy speaker drew the amazing conclusion that since he had complied with one of the options she had served him on a silver platter, the matter was closed.

If truth be told, dear lady, Tiong had done neither of the alternatives open to him - he did not retract, he did not clarify. And incidentally, clarification carries the natural implication that it must have merit to avoid censure.

I suppose for her next act, Azalina would offer “heads or tails”. And either would be a winning call.

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