The last three days were memorable days indeed!
On Dec. 7 eighty years ago in 1941 the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbour and brought United States into World War Two.
On Dec. 8, 2021, the Court of Appeal of Malaysia rejected the appeal of the former Prime Minister, Najib Razak, against his conviction and sentence to 12 years’ jail and RM210 million fine for his RM42 million SRC International Sdn Bhd charges declared that there was no “national interest” when RM42 million was transferred into Najib’s account but only “national embarrassment”.
It gave hope to Malaysians that “tomorrow can be better” and there is a chance to prevent Malaysia from relapsing back to a kleptocracy and that Malaysia can still dream a clean, honest and incorrupt government.
On Dec. 9, 2021, Malaysians were reminded that the Malaysian Dream for the country to be a world-class great nation which is the very opposite of a kleptocracy is no easy vision and will take decades to accomplish – when Prime Minister Ismail Sabri showed how low Malaysia has sunk as he gave his Cabinet 90 pct score on their 100-day report card when it had not even reached a pass mark of 50 pct score.
The best performing Cabinet Minister is undoubtedly the new Health Minister, Khairy Jamaluddin, but even he does not deserve more than a passing grade.
On his First Hundred Days on Dec. 7, 2021, Malaysia recorded 4,966 daily new Covid-19 cases and 66 Covid-19 deaths, which have deteriorated to 5,466 daily new Covid-19 cases and 41 Covid-19 deaths yesterday. On Dec. 7 we had cumulative totals of 2,667,999 Covid-19 cases and 30,719 Covid-19 deaths.
When emergency was declared on January 11, 2021, to combat the Covid-19 pandemic, we had 2,232 daily new Covid-19 cases and four Covid-19 deaths – and cumulative total of 138,224 Covid-19 cases and 555 Covid-19 deaths.
Would you give a 90 pct score for achieving at the end of the First 100 days more than twice the daily new Covid-19 cases and more than 16 times the daily Covid-19 deaths when compared to the day when Emergency was declared?
It would appear that the longer Malaysia battle against Covid-19 pandemic, the worst it becomes as the country has been struggling for seven months to reduce daily new Covid-19 cases to below 4,000 cases and struggling for eight months to reduce daily Covid-19 deaths to single-digit numbers.
In fact, question may be asked as to how Malaysia can get a pass grade for combating the Covid-19 pandemic when we have not been able to end the longest 23-month Covid-19 wave in the world since September last year?
US President Franklin Roosevelt is credited with the “First Hundred Days” concept but Malaysia’s Ninth Prime Minister Ismail Sabri must be credited with nullifying the “First Hundred Days” concept as to be utterly meaningless, as when Ismail Sabri’s Cabinet can get a 90 pct score, how can anyone in the world fail in his “First Hundred Days”?
I am an octogenarian who have spent 55 years in the political struggle to make Malaysia a world-class great nation.
I have one hope: that the Sarawak general election will be the start of a new long journey to make Sarawak and Malaysia a world-class great nation, where the diverse people of different ethnicity, languages, religions, and culture can unite in harmony to achieve our common vision for Malaysia to be a world-class great nation whether in international competitiveness, good governance with minimal corruption, and an efficient and effective government.
Malaysians achieved a political miracle when we ended UMNO political hegemony in the 14th General Election in 2018. Let the Sarawak general election be the start of a new long journey for Malaysia to become a world-class great nation, starting with the 15th general election which should be held next year.
Media Statement by DAP MP for Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang in Miri on Friday, 10th December 2021.