theSun | THURSDAY MAY 21 2009
INTERVIEWS VIEWS
transmission mode from human
to human, a realisation of that
fear?
Yes. This outbreak has raised such
a concern.
Mortality from A (H1N1) infec-
tions has largely been reported
in Mexico only, with very low
mortality reported in infected
cases in other parts of the world.
In the context of disease socio-
pathology, deaths largely occur-
ring among infected Mexicans
is phenomenal. What is your
take on this and what are the
contributory factors that may
have caused deaths among a se-
lect group of infected cases and
that too in a specific geographic
location?
The information that we have
now is still incomplete. How many
of the earlier cases that were re-
ported by Mexico were really due
to the A (H1N1) for instance.
Could some of the deaths be
due to other infections like bacte-
rial pneumonia?
Could there have been a co-
infection between influenza and
other infections? That is what we
need to know.
If the virus develops into a
worldwide pandemic, do you
think the world will see a deso-
lation similar to the 1918-1919
Spanish flu epidemic?
I don’t think so. First, the Spanish
flu occurred in the setting of World
War 1. It was established that most
of the deaths were in fact due to
bacterial pneumonia. You have to
remember that in 1918 penicillin
had only just been discovered
a few years earlier. In this day
and age treatment of secondary
bacterial infections is much more
sophisticated.
What are the chances of the A
(H1N1) virus being nothing
more than a benign transient
variant that may soon be a spent
force – or the probability of it
becoming a more virulent form
that could impact populations?
There are three possible scenarios.
In the first scenario, the outbreak
stabilises and fizzles out over the
next several weeks and that’s the
last we hear of it.
In the second, the outbreak
progresses to a full-blown pan-
demic, of a severity unknown at
this time, and involving most of
the entire world over the next four
to six months. Although this is
possible, this seems unlikely. The
good news is that the northern
hemisphere is going into spring
now.
The third scenario is that the
outbreak stabilises and subsides
over the next several weeks,
since it’s so late in the influenza
season, re-emerging again in the
late summer and autumn, pos-
sibly with even more vigour, to
cause a pandemic. It should be
remembered that the extent of the
epidemic is going to be most felt in
temperate regions.
What is your view on the contro-
versial suggestion by Indonesian
Health Minister Dr Siti Fadilah
Supari and other groups that
the A (H1N1) is a man-made
pathogen concocted and spread
by Western governments to
boost sales of pharmaceutical
products?
It would seem to me to be very
unlikely.
9
The high road will serve us better
by Yap Mun Ching because there is no guarantee
that the same abuses would not
IN various reports on the recent be perpetrated against a different
release of the Hindraf activists held group of people at a later date.
under the Internal Security Act What Malaysians expect from
(ISA), one key point stands out: the a reform-minded administration is
move was widely interpreted as one real attempts to re-introduce limits
undertaken by the new administra- to power through the rule of law.
tion to put force behind its reform In the case of the ISA, there are
agenda. Faced with the greatest several options that the govern-
challenge of legitimacy ever in the ment can take. It can begin with
Barisan Nasional’s rule of the coun- Freespace reviewing the law and introducing
try, it is not surprising that the prime Where young views rule limits to its applicability. For in-
minister has adopted the “reform” stance, it can define clearly what
buzzword. actions constitute “national security threats”
For all intents and purposes, this could well be and set finite periods of detention (instead of
The swine a genuine agenda. If we remove cynicism from the present prerogative to detain an individual
our view of politics, it may be suggested that without charge indefinitely). Another is to return
flu is a very new leaders generally enter office with the best the matter to the courts to allow for judicial
of intentions. However, given our recent past, it scrutiny of reasons for detention. Of course, a
rare cause is difficult to maintain this view with equanimity. truly reform-minded government can also take
of human “Reform”, unfortunately, has become a sullied
concept in Malaysian politics. Back in 2003, in
the highest road of all – by repealing this legacy
of colonial oppression.
infections. the euphoria over the end of the 22-year rule The task of a responsible government does
of a rather outspoken and autocratic leader, not end here. To rebuild credibility in the political
The rate Malaysians had embraced the “winds of change” system, it means not only correcting defective
of known ushered in by the Abdullah administration. They laws but re-establishing the separation of pow-
soon found themselves sorely let down. ers that are so fundamental to the workings of
cases in the Sure enough, the Abdullah period saw the a true democracy. The integrity of the judiciary
release of former Mahathir nemesis Anwar has to be restored, the legislative must be given
US is 1-2 Ibrahim from prison and the latter’s political independence and the press must be allowed
per year. I rehabilitation. However, the reform credentials
that the administration built up in its early years
to do its job. The release of the ISA detainees
is a welcome appetiser but we still await our
don’t think were soon laid to waste. Faced with political main course.
challenges that it was unable to respond to effec- In the current political climate, the urge to
we have tively, the Abdullah administration, like the ones clamp down is likely to remain. But a return to
previously before it, decided to use its detention without
trial prerogatives to silence critics. Other than the
the practices of the past is no longer a strategy
that guarantees political longevity. A true leader
recorded Hindraf activists, opposition MP Teresa Kok and a is one who embraces this fact and seeks to make
journalist were also put away for a spell. his administration one that genuinely works
cases of What this experience has taught us is that re- towards correcting the faults of the past and
swine flu in form cannot be achieved without addressing the setting the foundation right for the future.
fundamental problems of power without checks
Malaysia.” and balances. Releasing the enemies of one’s
predecessor is poor substitute for real changes Comments: letters@thesundaily.com