Datuk Seri Johari Ghani: Strong Interim PM With Clear Strategy Is The Need Of The Hour

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According to Free Malaysia Today, Johari said that an interim government with a new leader was needed until the next general election which, by law, has to take place within the next 16 months since UMNO had withdrawn support for Muhyiddin.

Johari elaborated that the interim PM should focus on restoring the image of the country that had been badly damaged due to the failure of Muhyiddin's leadership since the emergence of COVID-19 in Malaysia. The shortcomings listed by the UMNO Supreme Council should be rectified as soon as possible by the interim government.

He said, "We need a leader who can demonstrate leadership in managing a crisis. This is not about politics. It's about our beloved nation which has suffered badly due to a lack of leadership. We need someone strong to take us through this pandemic, someone fit and healthy, untainted, and who can command the respect of the rakyat, government servants, and members of Parliament (MPs)."

"He has to be able to strategise, plan, and monitor the execution of our collaborative actions as a nation without caring much about popularity or gaining political influence."

"Even if we need to tap the brains, experience, and expertise of some of the talented young leaders in the opposition – whether in PKR, DAP or Amanah – or professional people out there to be part of this interim government to rescue this nation, we have to do it," Johari added.

"We cannot afford to play politics at this crucial period of the nation's survival. All the best hands must be on deck, so to speak. There's no time to play politics. The health and welfare of the rakyat are the ultimate goals."

He then mentioned that although there are those who may talk about or push for a Malay-Muslim only government, Malaysians have to be practical and remember that without the necessary talent and experience to manage this pandemic, a Malay-Muslim government is not going to help anyone – the larger Malay-Muslim majority population included.

"The COVID-19 virus is no respecter of race or religion. All Malaysians – regardless of race, religion, political views, and educational qualifications – are dying or suffering. This is the time for all Malaysians to come together and work as one to defeat the disease and revive the economy so that we can all survive and live better," he stressed.

He also said that people have associated Perikatan Nasional failures with UMNO too, as the Cabinet is made up of many UMNO MPs who hold important posts with regards to COVID-19 management.

"Any decision made by UMNO MPs will be closely watched by Malaysians," he said.

Malaysia received a score of 29, compared with top-listed China with a score of 76.5. Neighbours such as Singapore, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, the Philippines, and Indonesia were ranked above Malaysia.

Johari stressed, "The primary goal should be to help the suffering rakyat by reducing, if not eliminating, the prevalence of COVID-19 and putting the nation on the path to economic recovery."

For this, he said, a clear strategy was needed to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, incorporating both short and long term solutions. These must be executed speedily and efficiently, or the nation will collapse.

Johari reiterated that mass testing must be scaled-up, especially in industrial areas and workplaces, to trace and isolate those who were COVID-19 positive. The government should also allow people to self-test and isolate themselves if they are asymptomatic and in the low-risk category. This needs to be done regularly, he said.

He then stressed that prolonged and continuous lockdowns were unproductive and had proven ineffective. Instead, he believes that targeted lockdowns with mass testing in hotspot areas are the way to go.

"Vaccination is key and it must be done transparently. If the government needs to pay higher prices for the supply of vaccines because of high world demand, so be it. However, this must be done, approved, and distributed very transparently so that no one profits from other people's misery," he said.

He called for the vaccination process to be expedited in high population density areas such as the Klang Valley and other capital cities such Johor Bahru, Penang, Ipoh, Kuantan, Kota Bharu, Melaka, Seremban, Kuala Terengganu, Kota Kinabalu, Kuching, and secondary cities.

Johari believes that once such focus is given, we can achieve a faster rate of herd immunity because almost 73% of the population stays or commutes within cities. 

"This will allow the re-opening of the business, manufacturing, and services sectors in these major cities and spur economic activities," he said.

"Government assistance to those who are affected by the lockdown must not only be expedited, it must also be adequate enough for them to get back on their feet. Government agencies such as the welfare department and zakat institutions must ensure basic necessities such as food are on the table to feed the whole family. If bureaucratic procedures are a problem, then these should be cut or eliminated to ensure that no one goes to sleep hungry."