Written by Syafirah
Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was sworn in on the last 24th of November 2022 as the 10th Prime Minister of Malaysia. Since then, a few critical decisions made his popularity continue to rise. However, things started to change once the ministry cabinets occupied the Putrajaya office after the GE15.
Critiques not only came from the Opposition party components but also within the inner circles of the 'Pakatan Harapan' coalition MPs as well. This alarming situation can dampen the next big reformation of institutions and leadership that should have been handled wisely by the secretariat. People began to question whether it is relevant for the Ministry of Health to initiate free sanitary pads distribution inside its ministry building before proceeding with the idea to the public facilities when the Prime Minister himself is worried by the national debts amounting to more than RM1 trillion.
Speculations within social media suggested several possible reasons behind the unpopular move made by the MOH. It was either the supply orders already in place in abundance at the ministry's warehouses or if the previous government has signed an agreement that forced Dr. Zaliha Mustafa to make a sudden public announcement. Nevertheless, it is wiser for any cabinet ministers or deputy ministers to not hold any press conference or give written statements before seeking the Prime Minister's approval so as not to be seen as having a personal agenda or trying to sabotage the Unity Government.
After all, the Prime Minister has committed to having another look at all government tenders and projects. The announcement was made while he had a gathering with Muslim preachers at his official residence last Sunday. Important files are being audited seriously to see whether any leakages need an approved tender or the project to be postponed or canceled.
Hence, it is questionable why the decision was made within a short time frame of her recent appointment as our new Health Minister. She was just listed among the other 27 new-minted Ministers and later sworn to the entitlement on the next day before officially starting her work in the MOH office on 5th December. Right after only a week, the newly-minted Health Minister proudly announced free sanitary pads as an act of solidarity for women's health and rights besides claiming that the issue of period poverty in Malaysia needs immediate attention.
However, one fret not forget that the same rhetoric idea was first initiated by the previous government under Budget 2022 programs. The initial target group was around 130,000 female teenagers from the B40 group. The National Population and Family Development Board Malaysia (NPFDB), an agency under the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development (KPWKM) together with the Malaysian Prison Department, which is a department under the Malaysian Minister of Home Affairs were responsible to facilitate the distribution process.
Therefore, it raises the question of whether someone has been easily duped to believe that by proclaiming a mega national donation campaign might popularize the job position held besides hoping that the Key Performance Index might benefit a lot from the announcement being made. It is because the fact strongly suggested that the newly replaced marathon runner just merely accepted the passed baton without having second thoughts on which lane the exchange should be. It clearly shows how incompetent a decision-maker is in the management field even with a great career profile in the operation section.
Free adult diapers provide more benefits to the B40 income group including the "new poor" consisting of 20 percent of households from the M40 group as per reported by the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DoSM) in 2020. The reason is that adult diapers are expensive items that not many will afford to buy either for personal usage while being admitted to the hospital or to provide for their old parents. The distribution of free adult diapers can also help to reduce the job burden and stress felt by the MOH's staff - the nurses, as they can channel more positive energy to care for the patient's rehabilitation and medication aspects rather than having to flush down the contents of the urine bag every hour or so.
In contrast, free sanitary pad distribution is only a waste of the already shrinking savings that Malaysia has. It is because the rhetoric idea just showcased how narrowly feminist-minded act without considerate thoughts about the male gender who also needs to be paid full attention to their health and well-being. The truth is that sanitary pad is being sold at an affordable market price and with a selection of choices according to individual preference.
Although it has become public knowledge that all cabinet members agreed for their salary to be reduced by up to 20 percent and that the Prime Minister himself has vowed to not take any salary at all until the economy prospers again, Dr. Zaliha Mustafa is supposed to at least in the first week of appointment to have examined which expenses can be mitigated and renegotiated should there is a leak anywhere either in the tender or direct reward process. It is also better if the new Health Minister concentrates more on the rising costs of medication and shortages in supply for Acute and Bronchial Asthma patients rather than channeling more money and resources to HIV-related R&D due to the continual haze problem that not only came from open fire and industrial carbon release but also from the global volcanic eruptions including the alarming current Covid pandemic situation. Furthermore, with the monsoon season and heavy rainfalls that caused devastating floods across the nations and not to forget the recent Batang Kali landslide that costs lives, perhaps earlier briefing sessions can at least helps to work out effective precautionary methods together with the Special Tactical Operation and Rescue Team of Malaysia (STORM) and National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA).
Failing to do so may portray the inability to prioritize important matters and oversee in advance particular things that need to be done. Therefore, our newly-appointed Health Minister should do a cross-check which comes first to handle by having hands-on experience talking with the common people and listening to the committee pledge meeting in quiet before unnecessarily being out of a sudden announcing something that might turn against the whole idea of servicing the nation proactively. Perhaps in the near future, Malaysians are being able to see better and wise prompt actions by the new Health Minister considering the probationary term period that needs some time to be matured in decision-making and mitigation of risks.
'Kita Boleh!'
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