Malaysia: People’s attitude key to COVID-19 prevention

Police officers manning a road block in Malaysia following the Enhanced Movement Control Order (EMCO) (Photo: Bernama)

Kuala Lumpur (VNA) - The public's compliance with instructions and policies of the authorities in COVID-19 prevention and control is key for Malaysia in the face of the pandemic's complicated developments, wrote an article of the Bernama news agency. 

In an article titled “COVID-19: For how long will we be stubborn?”, the news agency stated that the Malaysian authorities have pleaded, advised and warned the people to stay at home, even taking some to court for violating the Movement Control Order (MCO), yet many still persist in ignoring them.

On March 29, as many as 828 people were detained in roadblocks and patrols for their defiance against the MCO which was imposed to prevent the further spread of COVID-19.
  
Knowing or unknowingly, it is this stubborn attitude that is the stumbling block to the Malaysian government’s efforts to break the chain of COVID-19 infections, wrote the article.
 
As of March 30, COVID-19 had claimed 37 lives, with 2,626 more positive cases in the Southeast Asian nation.
 
The recalcitrant attitude has forced the Malaysian authorities into imposing the Enhanced Movement Control Order (EMCO) in red areas where a high number of cases have been recorded.
  
“March 31 marks the 14th day of the MCO, but the number of cases remains high, leaving the Malaysian government with no choice but to tighten the rules as the second phase of the order looms on April 1,” it continued.
 
Minister of Defence Ismail Sabri Yaakob has announced that starting on April 1, business premises which sell daily essential items, including supermarkets as well as petrol stations, are only permitted to operate from 8am until 8pm.
 
Similarly, food outlets, restaurants and food delivery services can only operate during the same hours, while movement of vehicles will also be restricted.
 
These are measures which have to be imposed for the general good of all Malaysians and to curb the spread of COVID-19 resulting from the lax attitude of the public./.