MARCH 27, 2020 is the second Friday Muslims in this country are not allowed to perform their Friday prayers in mosques. A week ag,o the Covid-19 pandemic in this country crossed the 1,000 cases mark, with 13 deaths.
Today, it crossed the 2,000 mark, with 23 deaths. And there is no sign that it is going to stop there. Yet, no national emergency has yet been declared. Meanwhile, a former colleague, Prof Emeritus Dr Shad Saleem Faruqi has raised several legal issues regarding the MCO.
Among others, he said under the Federal Constitution, Islamic affairs is under the jurisdiction of the States and the Malay Rulers, not the federal government (except in respect of the federal territories of Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and Labuan).
He questions whether by using a federal subsidiary legislation, the federal government can legally issue orders and directives affecting Islamic matters in this country?
On April 24, Malaysians will be fasting and will be looking forward to their solat tarawih in mosques and suraus all over the country.
We salute the frontliners in their tireless efforts to take care of the sick and to save lives. As we listen to the news on prime time television, our eyes are often focused on the deaths; we seldom look at the lives saved. It is heartbreaking that there are those among these brave frontliners who had also lost their lives to Covid-19.
Whilst saving lives has always been the top priority, what will happen to the economy? Not just the national economy but more importantly the people’s economy?
The giants and the big corporations will probably survive and in due time regain their strengths. But what about the small traders, the small business enterprises, the foodstall owners, the nasi lemak sellers? Are there any concrete plans to rescue these people?
Mary Robinson, former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, stated that “huge amounts of money must be put aside to sustain jobs and livelihood”. She added that as of now trillions of dollars have been poured in to rescue airlines and the tourism industry.
Other economic analysts stated that instead of just bailing out major economic activities and industries, governments should also give equal attention to “protecting workers and their families”. To prevent a prolonged recession, stimulus packages must help workers, not just businesses.
A recent survey revealed that most people see the Covid-19 pandemic as a greater threat to their economy than their health (lives).
In Italy, France, the UK and the United States, economic concerns have risen more steeply, compared to concerns relating to the level of threat posed by the virus (https://www.weforum.org).
The International Labour Organisation (ILO) estimated that about 25 million people will lose their jobs as a result of Covid-19.
According to ISIS Malaysia, the pandemic will “disproportionately impact smaller businesses and vulnerable groups such as lower-income individuals and workers” (https://www.isis.org.my).
It recommends “liquidity support” for both categories – “people and businesses”. The former can be helped by unemployment benefits and the latter by low-interest concessionary lending, together with “wage assistance and cost-alleviation measures”. It also recommends more infrastructure spending in underdeveloped areas and “a one-off cash injection to Malaysian households”.
Ambank economic expert Dr Anthony Dass believes Malaysia will go into “a technical recession” as a result of the pandemic. Normalisation may take place at the second quarter of 2020.
He said a “more ambitious” stimulus package is needed, which must “reach a wider range of target groups and cover a broader range of economic activities”.
The stimulus package must resolve the following six issues, he added that include reduce unemployment and increase job opportunities; ease the economic burden of the people, particularly those in vulnerable sections of society; support the private sector; undertake capacity building for the future; support the SMEs and support the informal business activities.
The question is whether Putrajaya will listen.
The writer is a former federal counsel at the Attorney-General’s Chambers, and is deputy chairman of the Kuala Lumpur Foundation to Criminalise War