The Malaysian Health Coalition recognizes that the government has received extraordinary power to manage the pandemic via the Emergency declaration (announced on January 12) and the movement control order (MCO, announced on January 11).

We support any intention to protect the rakyat's health. On our part, we will continue to fulfill our duty as health professionals and as citizens.

On the government's part, we demand that the government uses its power responsibly and effectively to protect the rakyat.

We further demand the following:

1. Depoliticize Malaysia's health services

The frontline health professionals who have tirelessly served the rakyat throughout the pandemic must not be politicized. The government must prepare and deliver a basket of solutions which will protect the rakyat, care for our frontliners and fight the pandemic. Many of these solutions have been previously proposed (see the statements on our website).

While MCO can be one part of the COVID-19 response strategy, we do not support it as the main policy response, and do not accept any politicization of the health system.

2. Deliver a long-term COVID-19 strategy

COVID-19 will be a multi-year pandemic, even with vaccines arriving soon. Therefore, the government must prepare and deliver a robust long-term plan to manage COVID-19 while allowing economic and public life to safely continue (refer to our previous statement on January 8, 2021).

This includes engaging and collaborating with professional societies, private sector stakeholders, non-government bodies and citizens.

We support the decision to convene an independent advisory panel for evidence-based decision-making on national COVID-19 management. We expect transparency in the decision-making process and for health experts to be regularly consulted.

3. Assist the rakyat in MCO states

There must be all-of-government coordination to provide the rakyat with adequate financial and mental health support during the MCO.

The economic impact of MCO 2.0 will be more severe. We also fear that calls to suicide prevention and domestic violence hotlines will spike as they did during the first MCO.

Besides that, floods in several states have impacted healthcare delivery and many households' ability to safely self-isolate. The government must provide adequate resources to support all vulnerable residents of Malaysia.

Malaysia needs predictability and stability to effectively fight the pandemic. The MCO only serves to buy us more time. The government must use this time and its extraordinary powers to deliver a long-term COVID-19 plan, consult experts, and avoid another MCO at all costs.

Malaysian Health Coalition