Sabah could be in Phase 2 NRP if vaccination distribution is fair, claims MP

 By Olivia Miwil - July 3, 2021 @ 9:21pm

Sabah would have been out of the first phase of the National Recovery Plan (NRP) if the vaccines had been distributed fairly, Kota Kinabalu member of parliament Chan Foong Hin said. -NSTP file pic

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah would have been out of the first phase of the National Recovery Plan (NRP) if the vaccines had been distributed fairly, Kota Kinabalu member of parliament Chan Foong Hin said.

He was referring to Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob's announcement that only Perlis, Perak, Kelantan, Terengganu, and Pahang will move into Phase Two of the NRP starting Monday.

Those states have achieved three thresholds - recording below 4,000 cases for seven consecutive days, having a moderate level of bed use in the intensive care unit (ICU), and 10 per cent vaccination rates for populations that had received two complete doses.

Quoting a presentation by Ismail Sabri on the threshold values for all states, Chan said Sabah had achieved phase three for daily Covid-19 cases (below 413) and ICU bed usage.

"However, the vaccination rate of two doses (in Sabah) is far from 10 per cent (for Sabah population).

"Who's fault is it with the low vaccination rate in Sabah? Is the vaccine distribution fair and just?" he said in a statement.

Also echoing the sentiment was Federation of Sabah Chinese Associations Sabah (FCAS) president Tan Sri T.C Goh over the low vaccination rate at 7 per cent or about 200,000 out of the total population in the state.

Despite the Sabah's target of 30,000 daily jabs starting July 1, the statistic showed less than half of the target.

"The federal government must quickly ramp up vaccine supply for Sabah, so that it could allow more people to get vaccinated, and to achieve the target of national immunisation, ahead of schedule," he said in a separate statement.

While it was regrettable that Sabah was not listed in phase two of the NRP, Goh hoped for the federal government could respect and grant the state government's recent decision to relax the standard operating procedures (SOP) by allowing certain economic activities in the state to reopen in stages, without further delay or obstructions.

Former chief minister Datuk Seri Salleh Said Keruak said it was absurd that there was no news from the federal government about the gazettement for the Sabah-proposed SOP.

"This will cause confusion and anxiety, which should not happen. We hope the central government would take note and respect the application," he said, referring to the state government's announcement on June 28 on allowing more social and economic activities including dine-ins.