IT means tighter movement control during the ongoing pandemic while authorities continue to implement countermeasures to ease the financial, health and social impact of this pandemic.
- 8am – 8pm will see sale of foodstuffs allowed, be it restaurants, supermarkets and convenience stores.
- Face masks will see a ceiling price introduced at RM1.50 from Wednesday.
- Places of worship are to remain inaccessible to prevent activities from taking place.
- Additional roadblocks to be mounted to curtail unnecessary movement of individuals or vehicles.
Yesterday, 828 persons were taken into custody for breaching the Movement Control Order.
Senior Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said this was an increase recorded for the fourth consecutive day, and the figures for Sunday is evident police remain determined to send a clear and loud signal – Stay In, Stay Home!
The new ceiling price for face masks, Ismail Sabri said was lower than the RM2 per unit set previously.
“Not many face masks are locally produced. They are mostly imported. So, we are also bound to pay the price of imported face masks.
“We will continue reviewing the price (of face masks) from time to time and if it continues to drop, we will review it and announce a new ceiling price.”
On the operating hours of business premises, these included petrol stations and those involved in the food delivery service.
“We wish to encourage people to shop online, thus ensuring unnecessary public contact is avoided,” he said on Monday.
Last Wednesday, Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin announced the extension of the MCO, which came into force on March 18 and was scheduled to end March 31, for another two weeks to April 14.
Elaborating further, Bernama quoted Ismail Sabri who is also Defence Minister as saying the second phase of the MCO would see stricter enforcement, the situation would not be the same as in Simpang Renggam, Johor and Hulu Langat, Selangor which are placed under an enhanced MCO, in which people are barred from leaving or coming to affected areas.
He asserted that the directive was unlike curfew order as alleged by some irresponsible quarters.
Ismail Sabri added that the movement of vehicles will also be restricted. Private vehicles including e-Hailing and taxi will only be allowed on the road between 6 am to 10 pm, while public transport service operation to remain from 6 am to 10 am and 5 pm to 10 pm.
SIX MONTHS FOR ECONOMY TO RECOVER
The government expects the country’s economy will need at least six months to recover after the Covid-19 crisis ends.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Economy) Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed was quoted over Bernama as saying the estimated recovery period was reasonable with the support of the right strategies.
Various sectors including the tourism, hospitality, retail and investment sectors of the country were adversely affected by the outbreak.
“The tourism sector, for example, visitors would not be coming into Malaysia immediately, so we have to intensify our promotional activities,” he said when over the ‘Ruang Bicara’ talk show programme on Bernama TV.
