KUALA LUMPUR, July 3 – The people feel they are being deceived by the Perikatan Nasional over managing the Covid-19 pandemic, says party president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

He said, they also feel being toyed around because the over 30-day duration under the Movement Control Order (MCO) fails to bring down the number of new infection cases.

“Not also the Phase 1, 2, 3 and 4 which are very puzzling. When we said that they implemented the half-cooked total lockdown, they were mad at us. They labelled us speaking as the Opposition, lots of complaints and playing politics. Only then, on July 3, they imposed the real total lockdown.

“Even that, it was called CMCO which covers Selangor and certain ares in Kuala Lumpur only. What about other states,” he said in a FB posting.

The Bagan Datuk MP and BN chairman, however, regrets that the manufacturing sector is allowed to operate.

“They even admitted that the three new variants, Beta B.1.351 (South Africa), Delta B.1.617.2 (India) and Alpha B1.1.7 (UK) are even more notorius.

“Are they expecting other states to also record daily cases of between 1,800 and 1,900? Health DG Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah had on Jun 14 said that manufacturing sector recorded the highest case.

“A PN minister denied it and defended the sector. It was not fair, he said. If this goes on, when will the pandemic can come to an end?,” he asked.

Zahid also wonders as to when will the people can get back their normal life with the re-opening of states’ border.

“The people cannot survive long with the 6-month moratorium and i-Citra or RM1,000 x 5 months. For that, the government is suggested to impose a full MCO or total lockdown nationwide. Do it in a logical period. We don’t want them to be looked at as ‘dragging at their feet’.

“And for that reason, the Parliament must reconvene soon to listen to the people’s woes. My advise to those at J-KOM or the Communtiy Communications Department, time to stop manipulating news and facts to the people.”