KOTA KINABALU: Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun is the appointed spokesperson for the state government on the Covid-19 issue, said Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) president Datuk Yong Teck Lee.
"The recent appointment of Masidi as the state government's official spokesperson on Covid-19 is fitting since he heads the Ministry of Local Government and Housing.
"In fact, the Sabah Local Government Ministry has always been responsible for public health under the Public Health Ordinance 1960 and the Local Government Ordinance 1961," he said in a statement.
Yong, who is also an appointed assemblyman, said Masidi's ministry actually has the powers to enforce rules and fine offenders who flout the law to contain the spread of infectious diseases.
He added the call to have a state Health minister, a ministry created by the previous Warisan-plus government, is actually unnecessary and only a duplication of duties.
"There is no need for a so-called "health minister" pretending to be a federal health Minister (who is responsible for medical services and hospitals etc.)
"The so-called 'Sabah Minister of Health' has no clinic, no hospital, no doctor or any medical personnel under his ministry," Yong said.
He added a Covid-19 Disaster Management Committee has also been set up beginning Oct 1.
The Committee is chaired by the Sabah State Secretary which includes the Federal Department of Medical Services and other public health agencies.