Malaysia, which enforced the Movement Control Order (MCO) for the first time on March 18, has extended the order with stricter implementation until April 14 in its bid to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic after the first phase ends exactly midnight Tuesday.
During the first phase of the MCO, various steps and efforts were taken by the government, private sector, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) as well as individuals working together to break the deadly chain of infection.
Taking a strict approach to curbing the spread of the virus, which until yesterday afternoon has killed 43 people in Malaysia and infected 2,766 people, the government enforced the Enhanced Movement Control Order (EMCO) in areas classified as COVID-19 red zones.
The EMCO has been enforced in Simpang Renggam, Kluang, Johor involving 3, 570 residents; Sungai Lui, Hulu Langat Selangor (3,918 people in seven villages); and Menara City One, Jalan Munshi Abdullah involving 3,200 condominium residents.
The implementation of the MCO, seen as an immediate effort to break the chain of infection in the community, among others saw the enforcement of travel restrictions out of every state, including overseas, closing of places of worship, schools and institutions of higher learning to protect the public.
The last two weeks, which no one here has ever faced before, has given everyone a new experience, among others like working from home, being house-bound, with only the head of the family being allowed to go out to buy essentials, purchase goods online, lectures and meetings held via teleconferences, ensuring the highest level of personal hygiene as well as social distancing.
Either they did not care or deliberately did not want to comply with the order, there were a few who still preferred to hang out, leave their houses for no good reason and to exercise until Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin had to appeal to the public to stay home for the whole two weeks of the order.
The government also stepped up enforcement by arresting several defiant individuals, apart from deploying the military to assist the police in enforcing the MCO effective March 22.
Muhyiddin also delivered his address to the nation via television and radio several times regarding the government's steps to tackle the pandemic as well as to announce the Economic Stimulus Package following its effect on the economy and the people's lives.
The government, in making public health its priority, channelled additional allocation amounting to RM600 million to the Health Ministry to support efforts to tackle COVID-19 and fund the hiring of new contract staff, especially nurses.
A total of RM500 million was used to fund the purchase of medical equipment like ventilators and Intensive Care Unit (ICU) equipment, additional personal protective equipment (PPEs) for public medical service personnel as well as laboratory requirements for COVID-19 screenings.
The MCO period also saw the nation receive various assistance from foreign countries, NGOs and the public in various forms, like medical equipment, volunteers, medical personnel and finance.
The capacity of the Health Ministry's laboratory involved in the COVID-19 screening test was expanded to an additional 10 diagnostic laboratories with the help of the Higher Education Ministry (KPT) and Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry (MOSTI).
In a bid to help those badly affected by the implementation of the MCO, the government launched a drastic initiative by tabling the RM250 billion Prihatin Rakyat Economic Stimulus Package (PRIHATIN), which can only be described as pucuk dicita ulam mendatang (getting what one wished for).
Of the total amount, nearly RM128 billion was channelled towards protecting the people's welfare, RM100 billion to support business, including Small and Medium Industries (SMEs), and RM2 billion to strengthen the nation's economy.
-- BERNAMA
Bernama
Wed Apr 01 2020
Taking a strict approach to curbing the spread of the virus, the EMCO has been enforced in Simpang Renggam, Sungai Lui and Menara City One.
MoF tiada rekod surat kelulusan Najib
Mahkamah Tinggi Kuala Lumpur diberitahu, Kementerian Kewangan tidak mempunyai pengetahuan mengenai dua surat kelulusan yang ditandatangani oleh Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak selaku Menteri Kewangan.
#AWANI745
#AWANI745
Kes saman Ahmad Zahid terhadap Muhyiddin selesai secara baik
Kes saman yang difailkan Timbalan Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi terhadap bekas Perdana Menteri Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, selesai secara baik di Mahkamah Tinggi hari ini.
AWANI Borneo [26/04/2024] - Permintaan terkahir Joanna | Cakna kepentingan pertahanan | Jangan takut ugutan
Laporan berita padat dan ringkas dari Borneo bersama Nickyson Nyambar;
#AWANIBorneo 26 April 2024
Suami mendiang Joanna dedah hasrat isteri untuk Gawai ini
Sarawak berpotensi jadi pemain industri pertahanan negara
Jangan berdiam, Armizan minta pemilik syarikat minyak lapor jika terima ugutan
#AWANInews
#AWANIBorneo 26 April 2024
Suami mendiang Joanna dedah hasrat isteri untuk Gawai ini
Sarawak berpotensi jadi pemain industri pertahanan negara
Jangan berdiam, Armizan minta pemilik syarikat minyak lapor jika terima ugutan
#AWANInews
Gelombang haba bawa derita baharu, risiko penyakit ke Gaza
Peningkatan suhu melampau luar jangka di seluruh Gaza menambah derita yang dihadapi warga Palestin setiap hari di semenanjung itu.
Tarikh akhir pengemukaan Borang E dan CP8D dilanjutkan hingga 31 Mei
Lembaga Hasil Dalam Negeri (LHDN) hari ini memaklumkan tarikh akhir pengemukaan Borang E dan C.P.8D dilanjutkan hingga 31 Mei ini.
Freedom Flotilla to Gaza: AS terus beri tekanan kepada Turki
AS yang merupakan rakan sekutu Israel dilaporkan terus memberi tekanan yang hebat kepada Turki untuk tidak memberi kebenaran pelayaran misi Break The Siege Freedom Flotilla to Gaza.
Rumah terbuka himpunkan penduduk pelbagai kaum Kinabatangan
Sekitar 3,000 pengunjung daripada pelbagai kaum dan agama menghadiri rumah terbuka aidilfitri daerah Kinabatangan.
#AWANIBorneo
#AWANIBorneo
Enam inisiatif kekalkan momentum pertumbuhan Labuan IBFC 2024
Ketua Pengarah Lembaga Perkhidmatan Kewangan Labuan (Labuan FSA) Nik Mohamed Din Nik Musa berkata inisiatif ini penting dalam merangka hala tuju Labuan IBFC ketika Pelan Hala Tuju Strategik Lima tahunnya (2022-2026) memasuki tahun ketiga.
#AWANIBorneo
#AWANIBorneo
Sindiket ancam bakar stesen minyak harus dilaporkan - Armizan
Pemilik stesen minyak yang diancam sindiket penyeludupan diesel bersubsidi disaran membuat laporan secara rasmi kepada Kementerian Perdagangan Dalam Negeri dan Kos Sara Hidup (KPDN), kata Menterinya Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali.
#AWANIBorneo
#AWANIBorneo
'Kementerian Kewangan tiada rekod surat kelulusan Najib bagi 1MDB ambil alih Tanjong Energy, Genting Sanyen' - Saksi
Dalam siasatan SPRM, Kementerian Kewangan mengesahkan tidak mempunyai rekod ke atas kedua-dua surat tersebut.
Kelaparan akut jejaskan 281.6 juta orang tahun lepas - PBB
Tahap bahaya kelaparan akut menjejaskan 281.6 juta orang tahun lepas, tahun kelima berturut-turut bahawa ketakjaminan makanan semakin memburuk.
Hamilton optimis kedudukan lebih baik di GP China
Lewis Hamilton melihat potensi kedudukan yang lebih baik dalam saingan Grand Prix yang kembali ke China buat pertama kali dalam tempoh lima tahun, hujung minggu ini.
'Selfish!' - Fasha Sandha sedih raya di Perlis tak jadi gara-gara dijangkiti COVID-19
Fasha berkata dia mula melakukan pemeriksaan COVID-19 selepas berasa tidak sihat badan dan mengalami bersin tidak henti sejak Raya pertama.
Kes COVID-19 catat penurunan ketara pada ME 14/2024 - KKM
Jumlah kes COVID-19 menurun 97.1 peratus kepada 493 kes pada Minggu Epidemiologi ke-14 (ME 14/2024) iaitu bagi tempoh 31 Mac hingga 6 April lepas berbanding 17,256 kes pada ME 1/2024.
China jadikan pengalaman pencegahan COVID-19 untuk hadapi pandemik masa depan
China akan menjadikan pengalaman dalam pencegahan dan kawalan COVID-19 untuk membuat persediaan yang lebih proaktif untuk menghadapi pandemik masa depan seperti "Penyakit X".
Negara berdepan ketirisan subsidi diesel serius - Amir Hamzah
Negara kini sedang berdepan isu ketirisan subsidi diesel yang serius dan wujud kemungkinan terdapat pihak yang tidak layak masih menikmati subsidi itu, kata Menteri Kewangan II Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah.
Kematian akibat kemalangan jalan raya lebih tinggi daripada COVID-19 - Anthony Loke
PDRM akan mengeluarkan data mengenai kemalangan jalan raya pada setiap hari, bukan setahun sekali seperti diamalkan sebelum ini.
Ismail Sabri ziarah lapan beradik yatim piatu akibat COVID-19
Ismail Sabri tiba kira-kira jam 2 petang di kediaman lapan beradik itu di Taman Adenium, Bukit Beruntung pada Selasa.
Teori konspirasi 'Penyakit X'
Ahli teori konspirasi AS sekali lagi membuat 'keuntungan' selepas PBB memberi amaran tentang wabak lebih berbahaya iaitu 'Penyakit X'.
Reformasi dasar, kukuhkan perlindungan, produktiviti pekerja tidak formal
Reformasi dasar perlu dilakukan dalam usaha meningkatkan perlindungan dan produktiviti pekerja tidak formal di Malaysia.