By Pook Ah Lek, Sin Chew Daily

The curtain has fallen on the Sabah state elections and finally our health DG Dr Noor Hisham can breathe a sigh of relief because of the worsening situation of the COVID-19 outbreak in the country. To be honest, fighting the virus is a very tough and exhausting mission for our frontliners.

Sabah came under national spotlight because of the election. Other than the election outcome, Malaysians have also been watching very closely the staggering numbers of daily new coronavirus infections in recent weeks. Dozens of new cases on the peninsula have actually been imports from Sabah, with new clusters emerging in seven states!

Of the 86 locally transmitted new cases reported yesterday, 25 cases in West Malaysia have recent travel history to the Land Below the Wind. And of the four new infection clusters reported Tuesday, two were from Sabah.

From the failed coup attempt by the frog-buying former CM Musa Aman to the audience of then CM Shafie Apdal with the Yang di-Pertua Negeri to dissolve the state assembly, right up to the swearing-in of Hajiji as new CM just a couple of days back, the dust has finally settled, with both Musa and Shafie being the biggest losers. Neither has gained anything from the battle, but they have sent the state's infection numbers skyrocketing.

After the state elections, the government eventually declared that targeted enhanced MCO would be enforced in four localities in Sabah, namely Lahad Datu, Tawau, Kunak and Semporna.

The government also announced on September 27 that passengers arriving at KLIA from Sabah would have to go for COVID-19 tests upon their arrival, and be placed on 14-day house quarantine. This decision unfortunately came a little to late, as heavy damage had already been done. If the MCO were to be announced before the nomination, the number of new cases in West Malaysia could have been remarkably lower.

Put it very straightforward: It was all political consideration. Political leaders and cabinet ministers, including our PM, had to make frequent trips between KL and Sabah to campaign for candidates from their parties.

Campaigning is a group gathering event. No matter how strictly the SOPs are adhered to, it is simply impossible to keep safe social distances during such events. Umno supreme council member Mohd Razlan Muhammad Rafii and information chief Sharil Sufian Hamdan, who flew to Sabah to campaign for BN candidates there, tested positive for the virus, along with Pitas candidate Sufian Abd Karim who came into close contact with them.

Sure enough not all the cases involve politicians. Some have traveled to Sabah for business, holiday or even wedding dinners. Some did not present any sign and symptom but had infected their family members before they tested positive for the virus.

PKR president Anwar Ibrahim claimed that he had the numbers to form the new federal government and that Muhyiddin's administration had collapsed. Due to his previous failed attempts to take over the government, such a claim is generally dismissed as an old tactic.

Anwar told PH leaders he had a list of more than 120 MPs supporting him "unconditionally". Soon after that, Umno MPs rushed in to deny. It looks more likely that Anwar is trying to disrupt the morale of an already divisive Umno than he really has Umno's MPs on his side. No one will believe Malaysia's political 'frogs' will support someone unconditionally.

Even as BN and PN have their own calculations, their first ever collaboration in Sabah state elections has proven a success. This has not only boosted Umno's morale but also Muhyiddin's. Whether the PM will call for a snap election soon has now become a major concern for many Malaysians. Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who has a lot of court cases awaiting him, has repeatedly urged the PM to dissolve the Parliament as time may not be on their side any more.

Anwar's high-key announcement may suggest that he has a lot of faith this time, while Muhyiddin's response shows he is not going to take the claim lightly and is seriously looking into Anwar's "intimidation", as he is prepared to meet again with the Umno and PAS chiefs. As such, we cannot rule out the possibility he will dissolve the Parliament very soon.

Any sound-minded people in the street will worry about a new wave of coronavirus infections and a snap election at this very juncture is a no-no. We cannot afford to take the brunt of another surge in the outbreak as well as the ensuing economic fallout.

The Sabah elections were not warranted in the first place, and we do not want those in power to turn the whole nation into another Sabah!

Politicians are only concerned about power. The viral outbreak is not much their concern at all, leaving our health DG alone to worry about the consequences of a general election.