KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysians should cast aside their prejudice and place full confidence in the government's efforts to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, including the proclamation of Emergency.

Deputy National Unity Minister Datuk Seri Ti Lian Ker said the proclamation was done to ensure that the government could fully focus on combating the pandemic.

"All decisions and policies made are based on current information and situation. Malaysians should agree and respect the decision process unless it was made outside the legal framework and without the public’s interests at heart.

"Malaysians need to think positively instead of having prejudice because it will create more problems when there are none,” he said as a panel member during Bernama TV's Ruang Bicara programme yesterday.

The hour-long programme was hosted by Sherkawi Jirim and also participated by former deputy Education Minister Datuk P. Kamalanathan.

Ti said although the country faced a reduction in income due to the pandemic, the country could still afford to provide various assistance, not only to the B40 group but also to the M40 group and the business community.

Meanwhile, Kamalanathan said he was confident that Malaysia would successfully overcome the pandemic under the leadership of Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

He said that he believed Muhyiddin would fulfil his promise to dissolve Parliament to pave the way for general elections to be held once the pandemic is over in the country.

"But for now, we should support the government’s efforts to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic. After it is over and most Malaysians have been vaccinated, then we can think about the elections,” he said.

-- BERNAMA