​PETALING JAYA: The National Recovery Plan (NRP) has provided employers with a realistic roadmap to return life to normalcy by year end but there is also a need to put in place long term safeguards to ensure that Malaysia would not have to face the lockdown situation again.

MEF President Dato’ Dr Syed Husman Syed Husman J.P., in response to the NRP that was announced by the Prime Minister YAB Tan Sri Muhyiddin Mohd Yassin today, said the Federation supports the NRP as it provides employers with a clearer roadmap spread over four phases for recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic.

“There is no one solution that fits all in a global pandemic as the Covid situation is so fluid and dynamic that many countries that had removed lockdowns have now gone back. 

“One factor that would really help is to be discipline and follow the SOPs as there is no short cut. The behaviour of the rakyat must change by remaining patient and to follow the SOPs.

“While many are critical of the government, we must also be realistic and appreciate that managing a global crisis is not easy and the government is doing its best.

“The government has laid down a clear plan for recovery that is divided into four phases that are determined by identified indicators at certain periodic intervals. We are all for it as we would only succeed if we work together,” said Dato’ Dr Syed Hussain.

“However, we must remain resolute in our aim to ensure that our employees and the public are safe and protected from Covid infection and look beyond the current lockdown situation to ensure that there would be no more lockdowns in future. The cost of MCO 3.0 is estimated at RM1 billion per day of lockdown.

“Towards this end, MEF urges the government to urgently set up the proposed Pusat Vaksin Negara to deal with issues of long-term vaccine supply and its efficacy by harnessing the utilisation of local experts and resources. 

“Though the number of people being vaccinated has been encouraging recently, the supply of vaccines is often disrupted by high demand, due to factors such as increased orders for third boosters by other countries to deal with the emergence of Covid variants and mutations.

“The setting up of our own specialised vaccine research centre would look into the long-term prospects of producing our own vaccines without the need to depend on others.

“Success of breaking the chain of Covid-19 infections is largely determined by the supply of vaccines and the number of people being vaccinated regardless of how strictly we abide by the SOPs. 

“It is important to speed up the National Covid-19 Vaccination Programme and this can be done by allowing the participation of private medical practitioners to be involved in the programme so that we can achieve heard immunity in a shorter time, and return to normalcy. 

For further information, contact the MEF Secretariat at 03-7955-7778 or fax 03-7955-9008 or email mef-hq@mef.org.my. 

15 JUNE 2021