The Malaysian Insight

MINISTER of International Trade and Industry (Miti) Mohamed Azmin Ali denied that the bulk of Covid-19 infections came from factories, saying the decision to let the manufacturing sector operate was made by the National Security Council (NSC).

Speaking in the Dewan Rakyat, the Gombak MP held up papers showing graphs and news reports quoting Health Director-General Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah who said the majority of infections have been sporadic cases and not from the manufacturing sector.

“All decisions made are collectively in the NSC. Before a decision is made by the NSC, all ministries would present a list of positives and negatives (businesses or industries). 

“Finally, after hearing all the views from the health or economic sector, the NSC would determine which is positive and which is negative,” Azmin said.

Miti only coordinated sectors on the positive list to enable them to operate, he added.

“Currently, Miti has an integrated system with the coordination of all ministries and agencies so that there is a one-stop centre that determines which sectors and sub-sectors can operate.”

Azmin stood up to defend Miti while Finance Minister Tengku Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz was answering questions from Members of Parliament on the National Recovery Plan.

Zafrul, who is the coordinating minister for the recovery plan, was left to answer MPs’ questions although Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin had briefed the House on the plan earlier.

Azmin stood up to speak after opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim questioned Zafrul about data on infection clusters issued by the government.

Azmin said from June 1 to July 23, data from the Crisis Preparedness and Rapid Response Centre (CPRC) showed that only 8.8% of cases were related to the manufacturing sector.

“This, coming from the opposition leader, a supposed prime minister candidate, he should present facts or give evidence, this is not a ceramah where you make accusations,” Azmin said.

His retort caused an uproar among other opposition MPs, with former health minister and Kuala Selangor MP Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad accusing Azmin of using data selectively.

“The minister is very devious because cases in factories depends on the date of the information.

“He is just citing excerpts from a larger picture when, in fact, factories are the biggest source,” Dzulkefly said.  – July 26, 2021.