Masing: State govt should focus on dealing with Covid-19 especially with emergence of Delta variant

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James Masing

KUCHING (Aug 1): The state government should focus on controlling Covid-19 first, especially with the emergence of the deadly Delta variant, said Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr James Masing.

He said that the state government should move fast, as it is unknown how else Covid-19 could mutate.

“This is what I fear the most — we don’t know what Covid-19 can mutate into in the next six months. We have to move fast before more dangerous variants emerge,” Masing said in a statement tonight.

He was commenting on the World Health Organisation (WHO) statement on Friday which stated that the Delta variant is ‘just a warning’ to the world to suppress Covid-19 quickly before it mutates into something even worse.

“The highly transmissible variant, which was first detected in India, has now surfaced in 132 countries and territories,” he said.

Masing also said that at the moment, Sarawak was in better control over the deadly impact of Covid-19.

“The vaccines at hand can be the tool to contain the spread of Covid-19,” he added.

Meanwhile, Masing who is also Minister for Infrastructure and Port Development said that there were a few more months before the 15th general election is due, and the federal government has breathing space to manage and control Covid-19, provided they act as one in the war against Covid-19.

“Sarawak’s State Legislative Assembly has expired on June 6. We have no breathing space. If Covid-19 evolves to become a more vicious and deadly virus, Sarawak will be caught with no way forward,” he said.

“I hope the King looks at Sarawak’s political predicament and the possible dangers posed by mutated (variants of) Covid-19 in the next few months,” he said.