COMMENT | With the resignation of the government led by Muhyiddin Yassin, the new prime minister and his or her new government must put the war against Covid-19 on the top of their list.

The survival of this new government hinges on its success (or failure) to bring down the number of cases, ICU admissions and deaths. Getting public health leadership right is a crucial test for the new prime minister.

First, a senior health minister

Never has the choice of a health minister candidate been so consequential on the lives (and deaths) of ordinary Malaysians. Before 2020, the health minister had not been considered a top ministerial appointment.

In the United Kingdom, “great offices of state” are chancellor of the exchequer, foreign secretary and home secretary. In Malaysia, the most important portfolios are finance, home and defence. Education is also a politically heavyweight post.

Under the Umno-BN government, the health portfolio was treated as a junior role, given to its component parties, usually MCA or MIC. The Umno bigwigs...