Emerging humanitarian Covid-19 crisis in Sabah: Bridget Welsh & Calvin Cheng

‘Sabah’s Covid-19 situation transcends health. A crucial part of this is recognising the difficult economic circumstances on the ground. Many of these are the product of failings in policy in the past, with the crisis bringing deep vulnerabilities to the surface. Socio-economic conditions are worsening with the lockdown. Even before 2020, Sabah’s economy had been in a tight spot. The state’s relatively high reliance on commodity-related economic activity (roughly half of the Sabah economy in 2019 was derived from commodity agriculture and mining), along with a sizable tourism sector, means that a large share of Sabah’s economy is subject to the whims of the global economy.’

Read here (Malaysiakini, Oct 25, 2020)

Use emergency funds for Sabah’s Covid-19 fight as donations will be slower, doctors tell federal govt

‘The federal government should allow emergency funds to be used for resources and equipment to tackle Sabah’s Covid-19 situation, the Malaysian Medical Association said today. MMA president Professor Datuk Dr Subramaniam Muniandy cautioned that waiting for donations for Sabah’s Covid-19 fight would not be time-effective when there is an urgent need for more medical resources in the state.’

Read here (Malay Mail, Oct 18, 2020)

Is this new CMCO really necessary? – P Gunasegaram

‘Is the re-imposition of the conditional movement control order (CMCO) really, really necessary, especially in Kuala Lumpur, Selangor and Putrajaya? This is a fair question considering the government’s mishandling of the Covid-19 outbreak in Sabah for political reasons by allowing unrestricted movement within Sabah and between there and the peninsula during the recent state election.

‘Is the latest decision to re-impose controls in the three areas related to political reasons, specifically to restrict movement during a time when a change in government is possible with Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim claiming he has a majority in Parliament? Let’s see...’

Read here (The Vibes, Oct 15, 2020)

Sabah's serious Covid-19 situation: Bridget Welsh

‘Beyond case numbers and widespread infection, there are other indicators of the growing intensity of Covid-19 in Sabah. Foremost is the stark number of unlinked cases, cases that show no clear tie to another infected patient. An estimate by Dr Amar-Singh places the most recent unlinked cases as high as 91 percent. This indicates that the virus is in the community and being spread untraceably in the community.

‘Second, the strain of the virus reported in Sabah is among one of the most infectious, contributing to higher rates of transmission. Third, even more troubling is the fact that more people are dying – a toddler last week, more women (who disproportionately are less mobile within Sabah and should be less at risk) and those without underlying health conditions...

‘The time for a “normal” response has passed. The normal response has repeatedly disadvantaged Sabahans as federal authorities lack adequate appreciation of the realities on the ground. It is important to understand those federal failures surrounding Covid-19 add to the deep resentments and divisions that already exist.’

Read here (Malaysiakini, Oct 11, 2020)