我国需要RCEP吗？

11月15日，国际贸工部部长阿兹敏代表大马签署了区域全面经济伙伴关系协定（RCEP）。随后几周，除了是那位信心爆棚的部长，各商会圈子发言人和一些亲市场的智库发表意见之外，似乎这个课题没得到太大关注，甚少人了解RCEP对我国的影响，遑论是否我国需要RCEP。

首先要知道，RCEP不是一般我们想像的贸易协定——它不仅牵涉进出口货品交易而已，还包含20章其他内容。这类贸协设计模式其实始于1994年的美国，旨在为外资企业和银行打开国家经济市场大门（特别是发展中国家如大马），包括服务业、智慧产权、投资项目（给外来投资者更多权益）、政府合约以及其他外资单位渴望获利的领域。

早前泄漏的RCEP内容揭露包含很多类似美国主导的跨太平洋伙伴协定（TPPA）的条款，如外来投资者有权起诉在地政府、赋予智慧产权导致延长商业垄断期（药价更昂贵的主因）、还有将农耕种子转为私人产权牺牲小农。特朗普总统出走TPPA后，日本扛起使命并将协定改名为全面且先进的TPP（CPTPP），收录所有TPPA条款，仅搁置了几个具争议性的智慧产权需求条款。大马签署了CPTPP，还未寻求国会核准通过。唯有这样才能有法律依据落实其条款。

近年来，多个RCEP谈判国都发生示威抗议，针对那些纳入其中的TPPA/CPTPP类似条款。一些RCEP谈判国也不同意。这正是为何RCEP最后搁置了那些争议性的“侵权”和“卖国”的条款。我国政府最后也同意签署，打开更多市场允许外国服务供应者和投资者进来，包括那些可能会负面影响本地商家（特别是中小型企业）的领域。

外资股权占有率高

令人担忧的趋势已上演。大马经济的外资股权占有率（Foreign Equity Share）从1990年的25%到2011年的37%直到2015的45.3%。这是2009年以来政府单方面自由开放经济的结果，特别是在服务业比如保险业和私人医疗领域。若这趋势延续，相信国内的众多中小型企业将被排挤，国家经济资源重新分配政策备受影响，贫穷和边缘群体或遭殃。

RCEP一开始是东盟的计划，主张要成立一个扩大的区域市场，包括6个非成员国（中国、印度、日本、韩国、澳洲和纽西兰）。去年11月，印度决定退出。若RCEP要能真正落实和操作，下一步就是要至少6个东盟成员国和3个非成员国核准通过。政府要作出决定之前，至少要有一份详尽的研究报告分析和评估这协定对国家的影响。

如前文提到，RCEP旨在扩大市场，支持者说这对国家经济很好。但早前政府至少针对TPPA的部分成本效益分析还有对外发表；这次的RCEP，政府压根儿没拿出什么根据和研究数据说明这好处。

RCEP加剧贸易逆差

先看进出口数据：大马的十五大贸易国，十个已是RCEP签署国。去年，我国有大约60%进口和56%出口与RCEP国有关；而我国取得510亿令吉的贸易顺差。有顺差是好事，但如果我们仔细端详，这顺差绝大部分来自新加坡，大约476亿令吉。新加坡豁免几乎所有货品的关税，这已举世闻名，因此RCEP来了也无实质作用。再说，所有东盟国家已在东盟自由贸易区（AFTA），因此RCEP的焦点实际上就是瞄准5个签署的非东盟成员国。即便如此，去年我国对后者已出现贸易逆差大约303亿令吉，其中主要来自中国。

RCEP与CPTPP在内容上的分别，往往给人一个印象是前者比较“宽松”。比如说，RCEP尚未有“投资者与地主国间争议解决机制”（ISDS）条款允许外国投资者直接起诉政府。即使RCEP淡化了其中侵权最严重的CPTPP类似条款，这不意味著RCEP会比较不靠向大企业利益。

试想想，若RCEP那么正面美好，为何印度打退堂鼓？他们担心些什么？这无疑预警了一些问题与风险到来。印度总理莫迪就表示，不加入RCEP正因为印度的主要顾虑仍未被解决。他们不愿意妥协农民、小商、劳工以及穷人的核心利益。印度担忧，一旦更廉宜的中国货涌入本地市场，本地生产商将无法竞争。印度确认了三大最脆弱的领域：纺织业、乳业及农业。

为何我们需要关注这些自由贸易协定？首先，他们牵涉百姓的经济和生活范围相当广泛，不仅货品交易而已。我们必须要看协定细节才可知一些条款的利与弊，再看哪个社会群体受影响。第二，我国必须要修改联邦、甚至是州属和地方政府法律、条规和政策，确保这些不会与贸易协定相互抵触。换句话说，政府签署越'大包'和越'全面'的自由贸易协定，更多的公共政策将受影响、面对巨大的修改压力。未来的政策制定空间也可能被钳制，这对民主来说是好事吗？

一个国家的主权在于能确保各级的政府和代议士有政策空间及权力制定和落实最符合国家社会利益的政策，不需任何自由贸易协定告诉他们该如何做。

RCEP底下的最大悬念是，到底日后大马将生产和出口更多还是会进口比较多？若是后者，本地生产商能不受影响吗？就看看刚过不久的双12网购大促销吧，到底多少产品生产源自中国？

有人会说，消费者能买到便宜货是好事，但如果长期下去中小型企业和农民无法与拥有巨大资本和实力的外国企业竞争，工作和饭碗都丢失了，届时他们如何还有钱买？

被忽略的成本与风险

一些政治人物和公务员对自由贸易协定（FTAs）存有浪漫幻想。在他们的脑海里似乎国家签署越多FTAs，国家经济就会变更美好。著名经济学家佐摩教授近来就警惕，说FTA能给予的好处渺小，但往往却被支持者夸大其词。他说，正因这些支持者常忽略这些协定伴随著的大部分成本和风险。

最后，政府应了解，要发展经济可以有很多方式。90年代我国经济高飞，不是没靠FTA也能办到？我们需要的是更为谨慎、有愿景、可续性和全面的经济规划。政府不可忽略目前国家经济的外资股权占有率已相当高的现实。如果我国的贸易、投资和经济政策未及时调整，恐怕更多人民利益将被抛在后头。

刊登于《東方日報》東方文薈版《群議良策》專欄2020年12月16日

Some remarks about open government data - observation and consideration

Generally speaking, I agree with the notion that the government should be more open, transparent and accountable for the information and data which are of public interest, so that individuals and groups in the society could be informed about government policies implementation and performance.

It is also true that the data openness of a government should be guided by certain frameworks and guidelines. It is impossible and not practical nor logical to have the government to be releasing every piece of information they collect even if they are non-private/personal, non-proprietary or non-national security type of sensitive information. 

As a policy researcher and data user myself since 2014, when it comes to government data, these are the factors I consider important:

i) input/source -. what kind of data the authorities routinely, periodically or incidentally collect, or are to be collected (analogue or digital),

ii) data persons - one's mandate to collect, upkeep, process, and work with the data 

iii) custodian - usually the top management who decides what to/could be released automatically periodically, or upon request or not at all. 

iv) output - should be tied to the core departmental function, public interest and social meaning, it has to be well-thought, meaningful and organised data to be released, not mindless data junk. 

I see a need for the government to stratify the data openness: some information might be suitable for direct release under the defined website portals, while some information might need users to register an account for tracking purpose. Lastly some data categories would require the researcher/applicant to pass the ethics clearance, put forward a research/project proposal to justify the data request for 'correct, responsible and fair use' . 

Besides what has appeared in the data.gov.my, over the years I observe that the federal government in general is gradually improving on publishing a greater variety of data, and more frequently, with more in-depth/breakdown, ease of use, especially on the socioeconomic type of data. For example, they tend to release data more in excel/csv sheet format, DOSM has done so, even the notorious NAPIC did too. 

Recently I saw the MyLocalStats 2019 released by DOSM, where they made a compilation of socioeconomic statistics down to district level across the nation. I see efforts from the government to consolidate data and make them more user friendly in timeline (see https://mysidc.statistics.gov.my/ ) and even allow users to choose ('mix and match') sets of trade data in timeline and categories (https://metsonline.stats.gov.my/).

We should perhaps begin the statement in recognising and appreciating the improvements made by the relevant departments, give them credit where they are due.

I would suggest that we should send the statement in a memo to MAMPU, DOSM and MCMC, request for a meeting to engage with them in a dialogue to see what is the government's latest planning and then we could identify the gaps. It may not be the case that the civil servants are against data openness, if we go approach them as policy research institutions/ think tanks, they might be more convinced and take our suggestions/recommendations seriously. I suggest to build trust and working relationship with them first, their buy-in for our cause would be a big breakthrough as we will always have allies within the system.

Tactically, we should propose to the government for every department to come out with their list of data categories ('data warehouse’), like the case in MOH: https://www.moh.gov.my/index.php/pages/view/129?mid=52) , so that researchers would be aware of what information is available or not. It is because we often don't know what we don't know, and assume the government might have the answer already. It is also often the case where government data is simply not organised due to lack of capacity.

Secondly, we could urge the government for each department to set up a channel for the public and researchers to request for data/information (which are not published periodically) and give feedback/suggestions. There needs to be some mechanisms to regulate and make data access happen. We should also advocate for a Freedom of Information (FOI) Act as a tool to compel the government to release information which is vital for public interest.

Responding to IDEAS Policy Paper No 69 – Social Protection for the Poor and Vulnerable Malaysians during COVID-19

First, IDEAS looked at a narrower scope focusing at poor and vulnerable communities among Malaysians. That means that they did not take a whole community approach which includes/covers the social protection and welfare of other vulnerable groups such as stateless persons, refugees, migrant workers, foreign spouses and family members. These are the people facing economic hardship, social discrimination and being excluded from social welfare/support. But we do know that we live in a community where we share the space, environment, market, facilities-- diseases that spread and plight of destitutes do not recognise citizenship. American political philosopher  John Rawls once said, how just a society is, judged by how the most vulnerable and marginalised groups being treated. Therefore, the government of the day should be reminded to carry the social responsibility looking after these probably equal if not more vulnerable groups.

Second, IDEAS should not take 'social protection' entirely to mean monetary aid policies/measures aiming at relieving and adjusting life for the unfortunate groups. Social protection and welfare should be more than that: Some kind of social protection and social support require inclusive policies, supportive laws and regulations, as well as the government effective responses on the ground catering to their basic needs:  health, housing, education, transport, safety. Social protection should include providing good working conditions, shelter (ie. worker's hostel), public transportation (eg. any discriminatory pricing aiming at foreigners is bad). Some people are more likely to get targeted/harraseed by the authority (ie. police and immigration officers) than others, based on racial profiling, this is also bad. Thus, social protection programmes addressing to basic needs of residents in this country is a kind of social justice that the society should support,living up the true spirit of #kitajagakita

Nevertheless, IDEAS' report is a rather extensive one detailing about the government's current structure of various social aid/ social protection programmes and pointed out the gaps/limitations with the system in their narrow scope of studies. Some of their analyses are still spot on. -- though they want an integrated info welfare registration system could be quite complicated issue (though Govt's BSH system is improving), Kok Boon probably knows the obstables in greater details.

My take is that, the government if they sincerely want to cover disadvantaged people such as Orang Asli communities, they should go to them instead putting up excuses that why they dont want to come register with the authority, why they dont have bank account....all these show that the authority's mentality thnking from their own position without considering the real life difficulties/obstacles faced by such communities. Many may not even be aware of the govt welfare/social protection policies!

Chapters concerning Health cluster under the CSO Platform for Reform

 

Download the CSO analysis report here.

Below are the text drafted by myself, vetted by Dr Sharuna Verghis, representing the health cluster.

Introduction:

The “Health” cluster paid courtesy visits to the then Health Minister Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad and Deputy Minister Dr Lee Boon Chye. The cluster did not make any explicit demands. However, some members did call for more financial allocation for the public health sector, the spotlight on brain drain and an urgent solution to the lack of permanent positions for housemen, and ensuring non-discriminatory and universal access to healthcare for migrant communities.

 

The 4% gross domestic product (GDP) allocation from the government budget for the MOH was a major promise, and it was badly required, but the minister caved in and did not push for it after just one year in office, blaming it on the current economic situation, as well as the debt and liabilities from the previous government.35 That was a major disappointment.

There was some progress in other major promises in the Buku Harapan, though still far from addressing the core issues, the biggest of which was support (not just financially) for the measures to tackle non-communicable diseases, rare diseases and mental health issues.

Demands proposed to the Pakatan Harapan government based on the Buku Harapan:

There was no concrete demand or proposal to the PH government on this issue, though the CSOs could broadly agree with some of the policy directions/ideas proposed in the Buku Harapan, e.g. higher budget allocation for the MOH, more (but careful) public-private partnership, and seriously tackling non-communicable diseases and mental health issues in the community.

Pakatan Harapan’s achievements and shortcomings

PH’s performance as government with regard to health should be evaluated by looking at not only the Buku Harapan manifesto promises but also the policies implemented and practices cultivated by the Minister and Deputy Minister concerned.

 

On the Buku Harapan, observations are summarised in the following table:

 

	Promise	Status	Remark/Comment
1.	Ensure that financial allocation for the Ministry of Health is increased to 4% of GDP by the first term of administration.	F	The 2019 and 2020 Budgets tabled for the MOH are equivalent to an (estimated) 1.89% and a (forecast) 1.90% of GDP, respectively. Though the real sum has increased for both years, the magnitude of the percentage increase was marginal. Even if PH had continued to be the government, given the magnitude of increase for the subsequent three financial years, it is quite unlikely that it would have been able to uphold its promise.
2	Introduce the healthcare scheme, "Skim Peduli Sihat".	F?	The government did not implement the model as stipulated in the Buku Harapan and was in practice in Selangor. However, it rolled out “MySalam”130 and “PekaB40”131 programmes, which were rather different in design and purpose.
3	Pursue closer collaboration between government health centres with private clinics.	A/ I	Yes, evidently through the PekaB40 health screening programme, two-thirds132 of the participating clinics were in the private sector.
4	Increase budget allocation and provide incentives to tackle rare diseases.	A/ I	The government set aside RM50 million133 for treating rare diseases and other health conditions in the 2019 Budget. Since the sum is shared with other disease

128 Berita Harian. (2019, Sept 11). 21 IPG disyor tutup mulai tahun depan. https://www.bharian.com.my/berita/nasional/2019/09/605989/21-ipg-disyor-tutup-mulai-tahun- depan

129 Malaysiakini. (2020, Jan 5). Laporan: Mahathir utus surat minta Maszlee undur. https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/505951

130 MySalam official portal. (Accessed: 31 Aug 2020). https://www.mysalam.com.my/b40/info/

131 PeKaB40 official portal. (Accessed: 31 Aug 2020). https://www.pekab40.com.my/eng

132 Bernama. (2020, Jan 11). Health care scheme for B40 group a 'game changer' – Dzulkefly. https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/506734

133 New Straits Times. (2018, Nov 2). 2019 Budget: RM50m allocated to treat rare diseases, Hepatitis

B.  https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2018/11/427586/2019-budget-rm50m-allocated-treat- rare-diseases-hepatitis-c

			areas, the amount for rare diseases is smaller and never sufficient.
5	Focus on non-communicable diseases.	A/ I	The government carried on and implemented some items in the policy proposal134 planned under the previous administration on non-communicable diseases: i)  excise tax on sugar-sweetened beverages135 ii)  health screening service for B40 under PekaB40 136 programme iii)  designating all food and beverage outlets in Malaysia as smoke-free areas.137
6	More government resources will be channelled to mental health care.	A/ I	A higher budget allocation for mental health was allocated in both 2019 and 2020,138 though the sum was still small.139
7	Provide compulsory pneumococcal vaccination for all children under the age of two years.	A/ I	Announced in the 2020 Budget speech, the government would provide free pneumococcal vaccines140 for children. Toward this end, a budget had been allocated. The program was supposed to have been implemented in June.
8	Provide incentives for the establishment of the palliative care centres across the country.	F	There is no easily accessible published evidence to suggest that the government has done this. However, by the Health Minister’s own indirect ‘open admission’ in his speech,141 he seemed to suggest that the available palliative care in the country was insufficient.

134 MIMS Today. (2018, Jan 18). Malaysia implements 13 health policies, sparking national debate. https://today.mims.com/malaysia-implements-13-health-policies-sparking-national-debate

135 Official portal of Royal Malaysian Customs Department. (Accessed: 31 Aug 2020). Sugar sweetened beverages.  http://www.customs.gov.my/en/pg/Pages/pg_mainssb.aspx

136 PeKaB40 official portal. (Accessed: 31 Aug 2020). https://www.pekab40.com.my/eng

137 New Straits Times. (2019, Dec 30). Smoking ban at all eateries comes into force on Wednesday. https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2019/12/551849/smoking-ban-all-eateries-comes-force- wednesday

138 Code Blue. (2019, Oct 25). MOH gets tiny mental health 2020 Budget raise. https://codeblue.galencentre.org/2019/10/25/moh-gets-tiny-mental-health-2020-budget-raise/

139 New Straits Times. (2020, Feb 17). Mental health costs Malaysia RM14.46bil or over one per cent of its GDP. https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2020/02/566428/mental-health-costs-malaysia- rm1446bil-or-over-one-cent-its-gdp

140 Malay Mail. (2020, Jan 3). Pneumococcal vaccination starts in June with 2020 babies, says deputy minister. https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2020/01/03/pneumococcal-vaccination-starts- in-june-with-2020-babies/1824316

141 Borneo Post. (2020, Jan 12). Country’s palliative care less than satisfactory—Dr Dzulkefly. https://www.theborneopost.com/2020/01/12/countrys-palliative-care-less-than-satisfactory-dr- dzulkefly/

9

MOH to solve the problems faced by younger doctors or "housemen".

A/ I

Fewer working hours142 at one stretch to reduce overwork; shorter training programme143 (the compulsory service had been reduced from 24 months to 18 months) and more positions created144 to reduce the waiting period for housemanship.

Indicator: Achieved (A), Started and (was) In progress (I), Failed (F)

 

Both the Health Minister and the Deputy Health Minister were actively engaging with health- related stakeholders and media, issued statements or held press conferences frequently to clarify policies and/or incidents. Examples of various town-hall meetings (but not exhaustive) with the stakeholders included: private general practitioners, pharmacists, Muslim groups (Maqasid Syariah) and the pharmaceutical industry sector145 (twice).

 

The then Health Minister Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad also set up a seven-member Health Advisory Council146 on 27 March 2019, which consisted of academics, private hospital specialists and public health experts, to advise the MOH on healthcare delivery, performance and reform. This led to the presentation of the “National health reform: Impetus, principles and pillars” at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) on 15 Aug 2019, and the incorporation of the ideas in the Sihat Bersama 2030 proposal,147 which had been ready for Cabinet approval. The proposal is a policy to revamp the health financing system, it was highly controversial and the details of the proposal are not available in the public domain.

 

However, PH’s medicine price-regulation policy proposal was (and is still) a challenging one for the ministry, which engaged in more than 40 closed-door meetings with various stakeholders. There is huge resistance, especially from the pharmaceutical industry, private hospitals and some pharmacist organisations. The intention of the medicine price-regulation policy is a matter of public interest—to ensure fair and affordable pricing for medicine required by patients. The disagreement between the MOH and the private sector can be also

142 The Sun Daily. (2019, Apr 22). Fewer work hours for housemen. https://www.thesundaily.my/local/fewer-work-hours-for-housemen-BY809245

143 The Star. (2018, Sept 22). Excellent trainee doctors to have shorter course to reduce wait for housemanship training. https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2018/09/22/excellent-trainee- doctors-to-have-shorter-course-to-reduce-wait-for-housemanship-training

144 The Malay Mail. (2019, Nov 8). Health Ministry pushing for 10,000 additional slots for medical officers, says minister. https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2019/11/08/health-ministry- pushing-for-10000-additional-slots-for-medical-officers-say/1808220

145 Information Department. (2019, Aug 7). Jemputan media ke "sesi town hall YB Datuk Seri Dr. Dzulkefly Ahmad Menteri Kesihatan Malaysia bersama industri farmaseutikal siri II". http://epress.penerangan.gov.my/epress/epress/view_acara.php?evt=14553

146 The Star. (2019, Mar 27). Health Advisory Council set up with seven panellists to advise ministry. https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2019/03/27/health-advisory-council-set-up-with-seven- panellists-to-advise-ministry

147 Malaysiakini. (2020, Jan 1). Cabinet to get healthcare reform proposal by month-end: Dzulkefly. https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/505543

observed in other policy proposals such as the separation of dispensary148 and the reimbursement amount149 for the private general practitioners in the PeKaB40 programme. Political will from both the minister and deputy minister was strong to withstand the pressure, especially when the smoke-free zone in eateries was first implemented. In addition, Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad had a strong conviction for setting up a national electronic medical records (EMR)150 system in all MOH hospitals and clinics in different phases.

 

On the Pharmaniaga concession issue,151 the minister initially made the tough call of not extending the contract with the pharmaceutical company, and this won applause from the public. However, those who are long-term observers of the medical supply distribution operation deemed that this decision could be too drastic and implicate Pharmaniaga in engaging in inefficiencies, whereas the latter had actually performed well to meet the MOH’s expectations.152 In the following week, the minister announced that the concession will be extended for another 25 months153 to allow a soft landing for both sides, as the MOH was also too reliant on the Pharmaniaga set-up.

 

The credit to controlling the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia has to be given to both the Health Minister and Deputy Health Minister of the PH government, although the professional and competent bureaucrats in the MOH brought strong leadership to the government’s response to the pandemic. However, the same cannot be said about the handling of the influenza outbreak at end-2019 (and beginning of 2020). The government was reacting too slow, too little, and it could have ended up a more costly affair. On 30 December 2019, the health director-general denied154 the gravity of the outbreak, and it took another two weeks before the situation stabilised.155

148 Free Malaysia Today. (2019, June 13). Raise doctors’ fees before taking out dispensary, says think tank. https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2019/06/13/raise-doctors-fees-before- taking-out-dispensary-says-think-tank/

149 The Malay Mail. (2019, Jan 30). Doctors shun Health Ministry’s ‘take it or leave it’ health screening scheme. https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2019/01/30/doctors-shun-health-ministrys- take-it-or-leave-it-health-screening-scheme/1717833

150 The Edge Markets. (2019, July 2). Electronic medical record system for all M'sian hospitals, clinics to cost up to RM1.5b, says minister. https://www.theedgemarkets.com/article/electronic-medical- record-system-all-msian-hospitals-clinics-cost-rm15b-says-minister

151 The Star. (2019, Oct 31). Dzulkefly: Health Ministry ending Pharmaniaga's concession for medical supply distribution. https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2019/10/31/dzulkefly-health- ministry-ending-pharmaniaga039s-concession-for-medical-supply-distribution

152 Loh Foon Fong. (2019, Nov 1). Mixed views over medicine prices. The Star. https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2019/11/01/mixed-views-over-medicine-prices

153 The Star. (2019, Nov 8). Pharmaniaga's concession to end in the next 25 months, says minister. https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2019/11/08/pharmaniaga039s-concession-to-end-in-the- next-25-months-says-minister

154 New Straits Times. (2019, 31 Dec). Influenza infections still within normal parameters, says Health DG. https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2019/12/552217/influenza-infections-still-within-normal- parameters-says-health-dg

155 New Straits Times. (2020, 13 Jan). Influenza situation under control. https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2020/01/556067/influenza-situation-under-control

Observations and critical analysis of the PN governance:

As the PN government is new, a major period of its governance has been under the Movement Control Order. In general, the new Health Minister, Dr Adham Baba, and two deputy ministers, Dr Noor Azmi Ghazali and Aaron Ago Dagang, could have shown stronger leadership during this health crisis. However, the MOH, under director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah, continues to excel, although he attributes the success to the MOH team and the leadership of the Prime Minister who acted on the professional advice given by MOH. Within the unique circumstances of this period of crisis, the success that can be credited solely to the PN political leaders in managing the pandemic is unclear. Notably, the government took the advice of the MOH and director-general of health seriously210 and implemented and coordinated various measures.

 

Measures related to migrant workers or undocumented persons were less coherent. The crackdown, arrest211 and deportation of these groups of people are not aligned with good

210 The Star. (2020, Jul 22). PM played key role, says Health DG. https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2020/07/22/pm-played-key-role-says-health-dg

211 South China Morning Post. (2020, May 1). Coronavirus: hundreds arrested as Malaysia cracks down on migrants in Covid-19 red zones. https://www.scmp.com/week- asia/politics/article/3082529/coronavirus-hundreds-arrested-malaysia-cracks-down-migrants

public health practice and policy. The manifestation of eight clusters212 in the immigration detention depots (DTIs), including a few large clusters (such as the Bukit Jalil DTI213), could be attributed to the lack of adherence to good public health practice, which was in contrast to many countries that suspended immigration detention in the wake of the pandemic214. These measures led to many undocumented migrants going into hiding and going hungry.215

The Health Minister also made a few unsubstantiated remarks, such as “drinking warm water216 can kill the virus,” while his deputy was caught for violating the MCO SOP.217

212 New Straits Times. (2020, July 12). 8 immigration detainees test positive for Covid-19. https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2020/07/607997/8-immigration-detainees-test-positive-covid- 19

213 Malaysiakini. (2020, May 26). 187 new cases; Bukit Jalil depot is second-largest Covid-19 cluster. https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/527348

214 Magda Majkowska-Tomkin. (2020, Apr 29). Countries are suspending immigration detention due to coronavirus. Let’s keep it that way. Euronews. https://www.euronews.com/2020/04/29/countries- suspending-immigration-detention-due-to-coronavirus-let-s-keep-it-that-way-view

215 Free Malaysia Today. (2020, Apr 22). With no help from embassy, thousands of Rohingya to go hungry in Selayang. https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2020/04/22/with-no-help- from-embassy-thousands-of-rohingya-to-go-hungry-in-selayang/

216 The Star. (2020, Mar 20). Health Minister's 'warm water method' to kill coronavirus questioned. https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2020/03/20/health-minister039s-039warm-water- method039-to-kill-coronavirus-questioned

217 The Star. (2020, Apr 28). Noor Azmi, Razman plead guilty to violating MCO. https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2020/04/28/noor-azmi-and-razman-arrive-at-gerik- magistrate039s-court

Recommendations

COVID-19 has shown that the public healthcare sector plays the most crucial role in protecting people’s health, especially during a crisis. The deteriorating economic situation in the country has also led to many members of the public’s resorting to public healthcare, and demand is expected to rise in the coming months and years. Therefore, it is crucial that the government of the day provides a significant increase in financial resources to the MOH in the 2021 Budget.

As for reforming the health sector, the PH government ticked many promises laid out in the Buku Harapan although these promises did not address the structural issues. However, it still scored poorly for not allocating sorely needed funds to the Ministry of Health--funding being the biggest indicator of political will.