Liew (seated at left) at the vaccination registration counter set up by the Api Api DUN Office in Kota Kinabalu.
TAWAU: Tawau MP Datuk Christina Liew welcomed the decree by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong for Parliament to be reconvened as soon as possible.
The former Deputy Chief Minister said this would mean the revival of parliamentary democracy for good governance which is characterised by accountability, transparency and inclusiveness in upholding the rule of law.
“Hopefully, the Government will pay heed to the advice from His Royal Highness.”When Parliament is reconvened, MPs will have the opportunity to debate on pertinent issues surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic and the four phases of the National Recovery Plan as announced by the Prime Minister to steer the nation out of the health crisis and for economic rejuvenation.
“We as lawmakers are obligated to speak up in Parliament because we have been mandated by the rakyat to raise concerns affecting them and voice their aspirations for the Government’s attention,” she said in a statement on Friday.
Liew, who is also Api Api Assemblywoman, lamented that since last December, the Government of the day seemed to be operating by remote control without the physical presence of elected representatives in Parliament to deliberate on pressing issues and make decisions in the best interest of the people.
Meanwhile, the Tawau MP reiterated her call to the Federal Government to expedite the vaccination exercise under the National COVID-19 Immunisation Programme.
“Earlier, I had sounded out this matter but even now, some residents in Kota Kinabalu are telling me that they had registered for the vaccination in February this year. However, until today, they have yet to be notified of their appointment dates. Where did it go wrong?” she asked. “This has to be resolved, among others, if the Government aims to begin Phase 4 of the National Recovery Plan after October when all economic sectors are expected to reopen and 60pc of the population have been vaccinated.”
For transparency in the vaccination process, Liew also hoped that the vaccinators would adhere to the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for administering vaccine jabs. “It would be professional on the part of the vaccinators to show the vial and syringe before and after each jab to avoid any misunderstanding or allegation by the recipients.”
The Health Minister had said that vaccinators are now required to show the syringe, filled with the prescribed quantity of the COVID-19 vaccine, prior to its administration to a recipient.
He had also said that the vaccinators are also required to show the empty syringe to recipients after the injection is done.The dosage for Pfizer vaccine is fixed at 0.3ml while Sinovac and AstraZeneca are at 0.5ml each.
