GE15 can wait as Malaysia adjusts to relaxing of Covid-19 SOPs, says KJ

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KUALA LUMPUR: Plans to have the fifteenth General Election wants to be placed on maintain till a number of months after the nation’s gradual reopening on April 1, says Khairy Jamaluddin.

The Health Minister stated it’s higher to wait till the nation’s Covid-19 and public well being state of affairs actually stabilises, as there could be extra relaxed SOPs with Malaysia transitioning to endemicity.

“We will be reopening our borders on April 1, so we want to see the outcome of that. The ministry foresees that the reopening will be done safely and it will not cause much pressure to the public health system.

“There will also be more relaxations from April 1 onwards. We have the Hari Raya festivities coming up. People will congregate for tarawih prayers.

“We want to see in the next few months if the reopening results in an increase in Covid-19 infections.

“An increase in Covid-19 cases is okay, but we do not want a hike in hospital admissions,” stated Khairy at a press convention on the sidelines of the Umno normal meeting right here.

Khairy added that the ministry was additionally monitoring the state of affairs associated to sub variants like Omicron, which he stated brought on the Covid-19 numbers in Europe to rise.

“We do not know if we will have to deal with new Covid-19 variants, but this is something the ministry is monitoring.

“In Europe and the United Kingdom, we saw their infections go down, but it is rising again,” stated Khairy.

Umno president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has stated the choice on whether or not to name for a snap normal election is left to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

“In his presidential address (at the assembly), he (Ahmad Zahid) pointed out that even though the grassroots want GE15 to be held early, it is up to the Prime Minister. I think it is the right thing to do.

“Surely, the Prime Minister will consider all views, not just the country’s recovery plan, but also on the ongoing plans for institutional reforms. I believe he will also hear the views of the Health Ministry on public health concerns.

“The general election is something that we can put on hold first until the public health situation stabilises,” stated Khairy, who can be Rembau Umno deputy chief.

The Umno normal meeting has heard many calls from leaders and delegates for GE15 to be expedited, regardless that the present Parliament time period solely expires in June 2023.



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