THE National Security Council chaired by Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin announced the implementation of a total lockdown for the social and economic sectors in Malaysia.
The first phase of the total lockdown will commence on June 1 to June 14, 2021, lasting 14 days.
Within that time, ALL sectors are NOT ALLOWED to operate EXCEPT the essential economic and service sectors that will be listed down by the National Security Council.
The decision for the total lockdown took into consideration of the staggeringly high number of COVID-19 daily cases that has surpassed the 8,000 mark today, with a over 70,000 active cases.
In statement released earlier by the National Security Council, the advent of new COVID-19 variants that have been causing the increased infection rate has also contributed to the decision.
“If the First Phase of this total lockdown is able to successfully reduce the number of daily new cases of COVID-19, the Government will continue to launch Phase Two of the total lockdown, which will allow for the reopening of selected economic sectors that does not involve any large gatherings and adheres to the social distancing standard operating procedures (SOPs),” it said in the statement.
It was also mentioned that if the second phase of the total lockdown takes place, it will fall within four weeks after the end of the First Phase.
Following the successful end of Phase Two, the Government will consider a third phase which will enforce the movement control order (MCO) which restricts any open physical social activities and the reopening of almost all of the economic sectors, with the compliance of strict SOPs in work places.
However, it is still up to the council’s discretion to move from one phase to the next, which will be based on the development of the country’s infection rate and the capabilities of the hospitals around the nation to handle COVID-19 patients.
From the statement, it was highlighted that the Government will ensure the public health system will not be jeopardised and various aids and assistance will be granted to the Health Ministry to increase the hospitals’ capacity all over the country.
The Government will also ramp up the vaccination efforts within these coming weeks to continue working on achieving herd immunity.
Following the Government’s decision to implement the total lockdown, the Ministry of Finance is said to allocate several stimulus packages to the rakyat and the affected economic sectors, which will be announced in the nearest time. – May 28, 2021
