JOHOR BAHRU: When Malaysia was hit by the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, Ismail Sabri Yaakob was among the key figures at the forefront of shaping strategies to ensure livelihoods could continue despite sweeping restrictions and widespread anxiety.
As senior minister at the time, and later prime minister, Ismail was directly involved in managing the lockdown period under the movement control order – from public health measures to safeguarding the welfare of those severely affected.
However, the impact of Covid-19 did not end when the country transitioned into the endemic phase. In the shadow of the grim statistics live a group of people he believes must not be forgotten – children who lost their parents to the virus.