Double Standards are the New Norm

Many worsening governance and health conditions in Malaysia have been brought about by Muhyiddin Yassin's administration since he led the coup to take over and form the government of Malaysia in March last year. He has shown how basic integrity of a governmental agency can be adversely degraded within 1 year.

The once respected Health director-general, Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah, has been reduced to a spokesman for double standards to defend the Covid-19 home quarantine decision for a member of Muhyiddin's ministerial cabinet, Edmund Santhara, upon his return from New Zealand when everyone else except for key members of Muhyiddin's administration would have to stay at a designated quarantine centre.

Noor Hisham's claim that New Zealand is a low-risk country and Edmund has a suitable home for quarantine are untenable as Edmund is still exposed during the 10 hours flight, transit, waiting  and boarding time at the airports. Having a suitable home has never been a key consideration unless quarantine centres are unable to cope with the number of cases, which is not the case now. Most of the quarantine centres in Malaysia are fairly empty for some time. Noor Hisham's afterthought defense makes him look like one of the political stooges of Trump's era but in Malaysia.

On the other hand, a Malaysian pilot, Mani Vannan of Singapore Airlines, said his request for home quarantine to take care of his cancer-stricken mother had been refused. He said he had sought exemption early last month after doing seven Covid-19 tests and having been vaccinated in Singapore. 

Seriously, Noor Hisham? Vaccination is not better than having a controversial stay of 55 days in New Zealand. Perhaps, more Malaysians should fly to New Zealand to build up immunity as opposed vaccination. 

An opposition member has criticized the double standards between one who is rich and powerful, and another who is an ordinary citizen, as displaying arrogance and contempt for right against wrong. The truth is Muhyiddin allows rampant double standards in his administration because he cares more for his position as prime minister than the health of Malaysians. He needs the support of Edmund as parliamentarian to have his allegedly already lost razor-thin majority in Malaysian parliament to stay in power.