The total number of deaths from Covid-19 in Malaysia stood at 494 yesterday, while the total number of cases amounted to 119,077. There were 11 deaths yesterday alone.
Last Oct 2, three months ago, the death toll was 136 and the total number of cases was 11,771.
Naturally people are alarmed by this steep spike in cases.
The present rise in infections mostly involves migrant workers. Over the past few weeks, Malaysians have been reading about the overcrowded, squalid living conditions of migrant factory workers. We have also been reading about the sudden fervor among government agencies to raid factories.
I know it is difficult to predict where and when the disease will spread, especially since some of those infected can be asymptomatic. I appreciate the fact that the health department and medical staff are doing their best. I also understand that this is something new that all governments are grappling with.
However, I cannot understand how and why the spike in cases among migrant workers was allowed to happen.
I use the word “allowed” advisedly.
This is because Putrajaya should have been on the alert and taken measures to prevent the spread of the disease among migrant factory workers in April itself.
That was when our neighbour Singapore reported a sudden spike in Covid-19 cases among its migrant workers. The tightly-packed living conditions at worker dormitories quickened the spread of the disease in Singapore.
Clang! Clang! Clang! That should have raised the alarm here.
That should have sent human resources ministry and health ministry officials – those not involved in medical work – rushing to put a lid on the possible spread of the disease among migrant workers in Malaysia.
Unfortunately that did not happen. Otherwise we would not have the present Covid-19 figures.
Would I be right in saying this is due to incompetence?
What happened in Singapore should also have sent employers rushing to ensure better and more spaced-out living and working conditions among migrant workers in their employ. They should have put the health of their workers, and that of the people in the vicinity of their factory, above profit.
Unfortunately that did not happen. Otherwise we would not have seen the current spike in cases.
Would I be right in saying this is due to greed?
About half of Singapore’s foreign workers – 152,000 or 47% – have been infected, according to a mid-December 2020 report.
Singapore acted fast by testing migrant workers in dormitories, segregating those infected, setting up “isolation areas”, and providing housing in vacant government flats, military camps and exhibition centres to ensure physical distancing.
If we had done something similar in, say, May, wouldn’t we have reduced the spread of the disease among migrant workers and in the larger society?
Last month, Human Resources Minister M Saravanan said 91.1% of 1.4 million foreign workers in the country were living in housing that did not comply with provisions in the Workers’ Minimum Standards of Housing and Amenities Act 1990 (Act 446). Did the ministry find this out only in December?
What about the estimated 3 to 4 million undocumented migrants in the country? One suspects most of them live in cramped conditions too.
As a society, we should bear part of the blame because many of us do not care how migrant workers live or are treated. We know they work in plantations and factories and elsewhere; some of us even know they live in less-than-sanitary conditions, but it does not affect us directly, so we don’t bother. Now, however, it is directly hitting us in the face and we are taking notice. I plead guilty to this.
The Covid-19 pandemic has afforded an opportunity to set things right and I hope the human resources ministry and related ministries will not delay the need to protect the interests of migrant workers.
Although initially the health ministry had things under control, the situation slowly deteriorated. This was likely due to, among other things, political and economic considerations, for there is a need to balance lives and livelihoods.
The Sept 26 Sabah state election caused a surge in Covid-19 cases. The spike occurred just when everyone was happy that Malaysia had managed to control the spread of the deadly disease following the strict restriction movements and SOPs.
Many blamed the government for not insisting on a mandatory screening or a 14-day quarantine for those returning from campaigning in Sabah, because the spike in cases, especially in the peninsula, occurred after politicians returned to their home states. Malaysians saw politicians – both in person and on video clips that were widely shared – flouting SOPs as they campaigned.
Many also said the sudden rise in cases could have been prevented if only the government had imposed a travel ban to Sabah. This was because Sabah had the most number of cases in the country about the time of the election.
It was not as if the government, particularly the health ministry, was not aware of the danger.
And when the cases began to rise, the government response seemed somewhat erratic, with fast-changing SOPs and double standards in enforcement. It also failed to foresee that conditions at lockups, detention centres and prisons were ripe for the spread of the disease.
Can we become angry with anyone who thinks this smacks of ineptitude?
But it is not just the ineptitude of some ministers and civil servants or the greed of some employers; it is also due to the impact of the intense politicking following the Sheraton Move which precipitated the fall of the Pakatan Harapan government.
The continuing rise in cases is also due to the indifference of some of us who either do not understand the need to observe the SOPs or could not care less.
The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of FMT.
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