(From fourth left to right) Dr Ngian, Dr Sim, Dr Ooi, Wee and others during the launch.
KUCHING (June 26): The public must continue to uphold good hygiene practices such as hand sanitising, said Deputy Premier Dato Sri Dr Sim Kui Hian.
The Public Health, Housing and Local Government Minister said people are no longer seen adhering to good hygiene practices after the government ceased making them mandatory.
“After Covid-19, all the good habits that we have learnt like hand sanitising, nobody is doing it now as if the virus has disappeared, but the virus is still around.
“We should continue practising good hygiene techniques, be it endemic or not. If you care about the community and love yourself, you should do it and not just when the government asks you to do it,” he said when met by reporters yesterday.
He made these remarks when representing Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg at the launch of Sarawak Health Carnival held in conjunction with World Blood Donor Day 2023 at tHe Spring shopping mall here.
The event also marked the Malaysian Red Crescent (MRC) 75th anniversary.
Dr Sim pointed out that Sarawak was doing so well during the Covid-19 pandemic because Sarawakians came together in solidarity to fight the virus.
He said most Sarawakians cooperated with the government in coming forward to get vaccinated against the virus.
“Why so many people died in Western countries? Because they advocate personal freedom and when asked to be vaccinated, they rejected it due to personal choice.
“The reason that we are doing so well is because the whole country comes together. If everyone is good, and continue to look after themselves well, love themselves, then we don’t have to worry about long hospital queues,” he added.
Earlier in his speech, Dr Sim reminded the community that MRC is not a non-governmental organisation (NGO), but an auxiliary body to the government.
Globally, he said the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement was established 160 years ago.
The Red Cross is the name used in countries under nominally Christian sponsorship, while Red Crescent (adopted on the insistence of the Ottoman Empire in 1906) is the name used in Muslim countries.
“In Malaysia, the MRC has been established for 75 years. MRC has continued to carry on its efforts to organise blood donation campaigns to save lives,” he said.
In order to keep this going, Dr Sim said the organisation must strive to engage the younger group such as those aged between 21 to 25 to take part in life-saving activities.
“You must reach out to the younger age group for blood donation. If we don’t lay the foundation well, it may be too late to do anything later,” he added.
Sarawak Health director Dr Ooi Choo Huck, Sarawak General Hospital director Dr Ngian Hie Ung, MRC national deputy chairman Dr S Selva Jothi Selvadurai and Kuching South Mayor Datuk Wee Hong Seng were among those present.