Ismail Sabri fears rally may cause further spread of COVID-19

KUALA LUMPUR: Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob today expressed his concern that the 'Keluar dan #Lawan' rally at Dataran Merdeka could cause further spread of the COVID-19 infection.

"I am worried about their safety (assembly participants) when they gather in such large numbers. Even if one of them catches the infection on the street, it will eventually be brought home.

"Maybe the cases will spread further as a result of the rally," he said during a press conference after visiting the Axiata Arena Bukit Jalil vaccination centre (PPV) here today.

According to Ismail Sabri, gatherings are not allowed during the COVID-19 pandemic and are deemed an offence under the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988 (Act 342).

Ismail Sabri also stressed that the government was willing to listen to the voices and views of all parties at any time, and not only when they were voiced out during street protests.

Earlier, some 400 people were believed to have participated in the 'Keluar dan #Lawan' rally near Dataran Merdeka here.

Ismail Sabri also urged all politicians to set aside their differences and work together to overcome the pandemic in the country.

He said political squabbles would not solve the people's problems and instead would affect the government's efforts to help the people.

"Regardless of our party affiliation, we should focus on the issue of COVID-19, the issue of people who currently have no income. These problems are actually bigger than what is being voiced out today. Forget about the war in politics," he said.

Meanwhile, Ismail Sabri said that as of yesterday, 13,500,479 individuals (57.3 per cent) had received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and 6,514,070 individuals (27.8 per cent) had got both doses.

Based on the current rate of vaccinations, he was confident that herd immunity could be achieved by October.

On the Axiata Arena PPV, Ismail Sabri said it was capable of providing 8,000 vaccinations a day, and the highest daily tally achieved by the PPV to date was 7,260 injections on July 27.

A total of 143,780 vaccine injections have been administered at the PPV since it opened on June 7.

-- BERNAMA