‘Explanations or apologies won’t compensate for ventilators fiasco’

Dr Low Chong Nguan

SIBU (April 27): No explanations or apologies will be able to compensate for the fiasco of sending faulty ventilators to Sarawak, said Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) Sibu Task Force member Dr Low Chong Nguan.

In a press statement yesterday, Dr Low said the public deserves to know the real situation on the ground and why PSB president and Bawang Assan assemblyman Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh is concerned about the issue.

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“We are not talking about slippers or shoes but life-saving medical equipment! No amount of explanation or apologies can compensate for the fiasco, which was foreseeable and avoidable,” he said.

“We would like to believe SDMC (State Disaster Management Committee) is adopting a prevention is better than cure approach in all aspects to do it right the first time and every time but this fiasco in sending faulty ventilators to Sibu Hospital just smacks of incompetence, ineffectiveness, and lack of empathy on those handling it, directly or indirectly.”

He said Senator Robert Lau and the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) government should understand ownership and collective responsibility.

In response to Lau’s criticism of Wong’s statement on the faulty ventilator issue, Dr Low pointed out the latter was in the state cabinet and hence part of cabinet responsibility.

“Soon Koh left, as he clarified earlier because he was in the minority dissenting view most of the time as there were decisions which he did not agree with, including digging deep into the financial reserves that he had helped build over the past 20 years. Again, part of collective responsibility,” he said.

According to Dr Low, the PSB president never flinched from dissenting if he viewed the decision was wrong.

When Wong realised that the direction taken was contrary to his principles of prudent management, he resigned, like the gentleman that he is, Dr Low said.

“Notwithstanding what his critics may say, Soon Koh’s record in Sibu and indeed Sarawak speaks for itself. Then, no one is perfect and as the leader he is, YB President strives to achieve more for Sibu and Sarawak premised on his belief that if better were possible, good is never enough.

“If one were to read between the lines, Soon Koh’s statement was to highlight the unacceptable issues and gross imbalance between Sarawak and the federal government. The delivery of obsolete, second-hand, and faulty incubators cannot just be brushed aside like business as usual when Sibu people are going through such a critical and painful time. They deserve better from the government of the day, as in people first, action now!” said Dr Low.

He stressed that lives and livelihoods are at stake so there should be no distractions from the criticalness of Sibu’s situation as a hotbed for Covid-19.

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