MOH Needs to Be Cautious in Providing COVID-19 Information’ – King Sing

SHAH ALAM: Minister of Tourism, Arts, and Culture, Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing, wants the Ministry of Health Malaysia (MOH) to exercise caution in disseminating information about COVID-19 to avoid causing public anxiety and, consequently, impacting Malaysia’s economy.

He emphasized the importance of avoiding instilling fear and creating negative perceptions, especially in the tourism sector. “While COVID-19 is an important public health issue that cannot be ignored, we should not overreact to the extent that the situation worsens,” he said.

“I make this appeal based on concerns and complaints expressed by both the tourism industry and the public. We need to take a realistic approach, considering the current situation and differences from previous occurrences during the initial spread of the pandemic,” he added in a Facebook post on Sunday.

Earlier, Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr. Dzulkefly Ahmad, in a press conference, reported an increase in COVID-19 cases for Epidemiological Week 51 (EW51), covering the period from December 17 to December 22, with 22,413 cases compared to 17,307 cases recorded in the previous week.

Additionally, King Sing urged the Member of Parliament for Kuala Selangor to consider the economic impact of COVID-19 on Malaysia by comparing his approach to the actions taken by the Indonesian health minister in handling the situation.

According to him, Dr. Dzulkefly does not need to overreact and confuse the public about the severity of the outbreak in Malaysia. “I will raise this concern in the Cabinet Meeting to find a balanced solution to ensure that the pandemic is controlled without adversely affecting the country’s tourism sector. I must emphasize that every precautionary measure and control of COVID-19 must be thoroughly discussed regarding its impact, research, and appropriate studies.”

-Agency