Luyang assemblyman Phoong Jin Zhe said he had received numerous complaints from the public over the problems in the health department.

“Other than the large crowds at mega PPVs (vaccination centres), the complaints include swab test results being delayed,” he said in a statement here today.

“Meanwhile, those who have undergone the 14-day quarantine are still unable to receive their release letters. Therefore, their quarantine bracelets cannot be removed.”

He claimed that those infected are also instructed to undergo home isolation but with no quarantine bracelets or orders.

“We are worried that this would become a prevention flaw in the fight against the pandemic,” Phoong said.

“The public have also been trying to contact the health department but no one is responding to the hotline or addressing their concerns,” he said,

Phoong acknowledged the challenges the health authorities face and said the state government must help resolve the issue.

“It is unacceptable if quarantine is not monitored by the authorities and some irresponsible patients continue to walk among the public.

“Those who are infected are also anxious as they have limited information. Such lack of communication can cause turmoil,” he said.

“A huge amount of human resources is needed now as the work flow is enormous,” Phoong said.

He pointed out that more workers are needed in various fields such as conducting swab tests, producing results, informing infected patients, quarantine-related arrangements and transporting patients to quarantine centres.

“The state government plays a crucial role in the administrative system. They can appoint staff to handle hotline services and monitor quarantine orders as well as to remove quarantine bracelets.

“This will allow the health department to shift more professionals to fight the virus through our vaccination programmes,” Phoong said.

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