KOTA KINABALU, June 29 — Opposition lawmaker Datuk Azis Jamman today rallied to the Sabah chief minister’s defence and urged Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor to stand his ground on reopening Sabah’s economic sectors during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Sepanggar MP said the chief minister is in a better position to decide for Sabah’s interests, after a federal minister said state governments must follow the standard operating procedures set by the National Security Council (NSC), indirectly reversing Hajiji’s earlier decision to loosen the curbs on several economic and social sectors that were supposed to start today.
“The chief minister is made to look powerless over his own state, maybe he is taken aback when he makes an order that is not on,” Azis said in a statement.
The former federal deputy home minister said the Covid-19 situation and circumstances in the country differed greatly, not just between states but between districts within a state.
“The federal government should come up with policies that take into account the current situation in each state—Sabah who today recorded only 178 Covid-19 cases should be allowed to open its economy so that people don’t have to continue suffering under the burden of this lockdown.
“I sympathise with the chief minister. This is why the Dewan Rakyat and State Assembly needs to reconvene—so we can discuss these matters which are pertinent. The situation in Sabah differs from Selangor. Likewise, the situation in Sepanggar is not the same as those of Kinabatangan. We need policies that work for each area,” Azis added.
He pointed out that Perlis recorded zero cases today and contrasted it to Terengganu’s 21 cases.
He highlighted that Sabah had just 178 while Selangor continues to log thousands of new infections daily.
“Where is the consideration? Is this ‘total lockdown’ really to prevent Covid-19? Or is there other agenda?” he asked.
Azis who is also Warisan youth chief said focus should be on immunisation.
He said he was sad to see mobile vaccinations for rural areas in the peninsula starting while the same programme in Sabah had to temporarily stop due to a shortage of vaccines.
‘Do not treat Sabahans like stepchildren,” he said.
Yesterday, Hajiji announced that the dine-in at eateries in Sabah would be allowed again from today under Phase One of the state’s recovery plan.
He also said barber shops, roadside stalls for vegetables, fish and fruits are allowed to open for business. The same with rubber, cement and paint, furniture and woodwork manufacturers.
He added that non-contact sports and recreational activities like golfing, fishing and cycling will also be allowed, contrary to the NSC’s rules for the country.
However, the state government did not release any new SOPs for the reopening of these sectors, triggering statewide confusion this morning.
Some coffee shops that opened for dine-in removed their tables and chairs after patrolling Health officials told them they were not allowed to do so despite the announcement.
Federal minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob later said that all states have been asked to follow the national SOP and not make their own rules.
No statement has come from key authorities including the chief minister’s department, Sabah’s spokesman on COvid 19 Datuk Masidi Manjun, or Health director Datuk Dr Christina Rundi to clarify the confusion.
