WE ARE inundated with an avalanche of information on the novel coronavirus infection. Within this avalanche, there is a lot of “news” that is clearly false.
Those responsible for such news can be classified into two categories at least. The first comprises mischief-makers who derive some cheap thrill by generating and disseminating fake news that creates fear and causes panic among the people. The law should deal severely with such individuals.
The second category may have a political agenda of sorts. The purpose may be to cast China in a bad light, to tarnish its image, to project the Chinese government as incompetent and even dishonest. The false information manipulated by this group may be very similar to the one utilised by the first category.
Both categories allege that the government lied about the number of fatalities which they contend run into thousands. They suggest that the authorities were slow in responding to the crisis caused by the virus. Attempts to reveal the “truth” about what was really happening in Wuhan the epicentre of the crisis by some doctors and journalists have been suppressed and the “whistle blowers” punished.
It is not just the Chinese authorities that have refuted these and other allegations. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has publicly commended the Chinese government for its “swift action” and its “extraordinary measures” in containing the infection. The government has attempted to be as transparent as possible from the outset and has provided accurate information to the people. It was the Director-General of the WHO, Tedros Adhanam Ghebreyesus, who stated emphatically that there was no need for other countries to restrict travel and trade unnecessarily. The coronavirus, he argued, should be combated with
“facts not fear”.
And indeed some of the facts are simply amazing. Chinese scientists were incredibly fast in identifying the genome sequence. Together with their Russian counterparts a Russia-China vaccine is in the making. Chinese architects and engineers have also built a state of the art hospital in Wuhan in just 9 days. Designed to tackle the coronavirus outbreak, the Huoshenshan Hospital has a thousand beds and medical staff drawn from the armed forces. The Chinese government is building another hospital with 1,500 beds which will begin functioning on the 6 th of February.
Facts like these mean nothing to those with a political agenda. The motives that shape their agenda take precedence over everything. There is a primary motive out of which has developed a secondary motive. Discrediting China is part of a larger geo-political drive that seeks to thwart China’s ascendancy. The aim is to ensure that the present hegemon, the United States of America (USA) remains on top at all costs. A host of measures and moves --- some economic, some technological, some related to security and politics, others linked to culture and human rights --- have been adopted by those who are hell-bent on perpetuating
their hegemonic power. This is why some of the distortions about the current coronavirus threat should be seen in the light of disinformation about the alleged persecution of the Uighurs in China and the so-called suppression of the people of Hong Kong. The name of the game is the same: it is the targeting of China.
This primary motive has now given rise to a secondary motive. In the course of fighting the coronavirus, groups in certain countries are displaying negative sentiments towards Chinese people as such. This impacts adversely upon inter-community relations both at the global and national level. At a time when China and the Chinese are leaving large footprints all over the planet, a deeper understanding of the civilisation and its citizens is what the world needs. It is not in the interest of inter-civilizational harmony to view a community in its entirety as an adversary and try to isolate it. Similarly, in multi-ethnic societies with Chinese minorities the checking of the spread of a virus should not be used as a justification to stereotype and stigmatize a community.
Seen against this backdrop, Malaysia, China’s neighbour with a significant Chinese minority has done well in managing the post coronavirus situation. It has accorded priority to the health and well-being of its people and at the same time handled this cross-boundary crisis in a calm manner without any hysteria. It has been sensitive to the feelings of China and its people. Once again, Malaysia has demonstrated that it is possible to protect our sovereignty while respecting the dignity and integrity of a dear neighbour whose friendship we cherish.
* Dr Chandra Muzaffar is the President of the International Movement for a Just World (JUST).
** The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the position of Astro AWANI.
Dr Chandra Muzaffar
Thu Feb 06 2020
A medical worker takes the temperature of a woman in the reception of Queen Elizabeth Hospital, following the outbreak of a new coronavirus, in Hong Kong, China February 3, 2020. - Filepic/REUTERS
Keluarga mohon bantuan kesan anak dikhuatiri hilang
Anak kedua daripada empat beradik itu dilihat keluar dari rumah pada 20 Feb lalu, kira-kira jam 10.30 pagi dengan menaiki motosikal.
Piala Asia B-23: Indonesia hantar Korea Selatan pulang dari Qatar 2024
Penjaga gol Garuda Muda, Ernando Ari muncul wira selepas menafikan dua sepakan penalti bagi mengakhiri cabaran Young Taegeuk Warriors.
LATAR umum penutupan sementara persimpangan Ijok, Puncak Alam
Penutupan itu untuk memberi laluan kepada kerja-kerja pemasangan rasuk jambatan bagi menyiapkan persimpangan Eco Business Park V.
Sirah Nabi Muhammad SAW akan ‘lebih hidup’ selepas ini…
Penerokaan teknologi ini yang dibuat kerajaan Arab Saudi mampu mencambah pemahaman umat Islam yang mengunjunginya.
Malaysia tidak lupa pengorbanan wira perang Australia dan New Zealand di Sandakan
Katanya, kenangan mengenai tawanan perang yang menderita ketika kejadian kawad maut yang terkenal itu terukir di Taman Peringatan Sandakan.
AWANI Pagi: Kesan kesihatan makan lewat malam
Benarkah dakwaan makan lewat malam boleh mengakibatkan masalah kesihatan dan obesiti, hingga wujud desakan kedai makan 24 jam dilarang beroperasi 24 jam? Ikuti penjelasannya bersama Prof Dr Norhasmah Sulaiman, Profesor Jabatan Pemakanan, Fakulti Perubatan dan Sains, Kesihatan Universiti Putra Malaysia.
Amnesty gesa universiti AS tarik balik tindakan keras terhadap protes Gaza
Dalam satu laporan, badan pemantau hak asasi mengutuk penindasan ke atas pelajar yang melakukan protes terhadap perang di Gaza.
Ruhainies mohon maaf kepada Bella Astillah, luah hasrat untuk bertemu
"Dengan rasa rendah hati, saya ingin mohon maaf kepada Bella Astillah atas segalanya yang telah berlaku."
Universiti perlu tapis aktiviti namun tidak sehingga ganggu keterbukaan, autonomi - Pakar
Abu Hafiz berpandangan ia perlu dilaksana bagi mengelakkan kontroversi khususnya membabitkan isu sensitif serta polisi negara.
'Man Kubur' tolak rasa malu, teruskan legasi ayah hasilkan kepok kubur
Dikman mengakui minat terhadap pembuatan kepok timbul sejak di bangku sekolah rendah lagi apabila sering membantu bapanya di bengkel.
Malaysia muncul destinasi utama pengembangan perniagaan di ASEAN - Kajian UOB
Malaysia telah muncul sebagai negara paling penting dalam ASEAN untuk diceburi perniagaan, seperti yang ditunjukkan oleh Kajian Tinjauan Perniagaan UOB 2024 (PKS & Perusahaan Besar).
Industri hiburan penghubung antara Malaysia dan China - Shila Amzah
Shila Amzah percaya bahawa industri hiburan mempunyai pengaruh yang besar dan memainkan peranan penting dalam memupuk hubungan diplomatik Malaysia-China.
TPM mahu lebih ramai anak muda Sabah diberi pendidikan TVET
Beliau ditawarkan oleh China untuk menghantar 2,000 pelajar Malaysia bagi mengikuti program TVET dengan biasiswa penuh ke negara itu.
Perang dicetuskan blok Barat untuk terus kekal berkuasa - Penganalisis
Kemunculan kuasa-kuasa besar baharu seperti China yang mempunyai kekuatan ekonomi sangat tidak dijangka oleh Barat.
Harga minyak diunjur naik akibat konflik Iran-Israel
Harga minyak mentah Brent diunjur melonjak sehingga AS$95 setong berbanding sekitar AS$90 setong ketika ini berdasarkan jangkaan senario terburuk daripada konflik Iran-Israel.
Piala Uber: Tiada istilah mengalah buat Mei Xing
Pemain itu bagaimanapun mengakui sedikit terbeban dengan ketiadaan pasangan utama negara Pearly Tan-M Thinaah dalam kejohanan berkenaan.
MPOC jangka MSM didagangkan pada harga RM4,000-RM4,200 satu tan pada April
MPOC berkata, dinamik pasaran minyak sawit pada Mac dipengaruhi oleh beberapa faktor, termasuk peningkatan dalam pengeluaran minyak sawit.
Berita antarabangsa pilihan sepanjang hari ini
Antara pelbagai berita luar negara yang disiarkan di Astro AWANI, berikut adalah yang paling menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari ini.
KDNK China meningkat 5.3 peratus pada suku pertama 2024
Ekonomi China berkembang lebih kukuh daripada jangkaan pada awal tahun ini, sebahagian besarnya disebabkan oleh aktiviti kilang yang teguh.
Ketibaan pelancong China ke Malaysia dijangka melebihi paras pra-COVID hujung tahun ini - CPAFFC
Yang berkata, kerjasama sudah terjalin buat sekian lama dan China melihat Malaysia sebagai sebuah negara dan rakan dagang yang penting.