Yoursay: Forget race and religion, we need to fight Covid-19 together

YOURSAY | ‘The coronavirus does not recognise race, religion nor politics.’

Movement Control Order: Most businesses need to close from Wednesday

Vijay47: The prime minister has spoken; he has announced the country’s plan towards curtailing the spread of Covid-19 so that the situation does not worsen and those already affected can recover.

In the next few days, there would be more explanations and details, things will get clearer. For example, what is the scope of “travel restriction”, is it just going overseas or are we prohibited from leaving our homes also?

The plan may not be the best of plans and there surely would be many bugs which certainly would be resolved as we go along. I don’t think we ever had such measures before except perhaps during the Emergency about 70 years ago.

Whatever it is, this is the time when we set aside politics, race, and religion and focus on making the health measures introduced a success. This would be not just for the country but for ourselves and our families also.

Fredtan: Hear, hear. The coronavirus does not recognise race, religion nor politics. For the sake of our children, parents and grandparents, let this partial shutdown works.

Follow Wuhan's exemplary example to defeat the disease.

MS: Malaysiakinians should, for the next two weeks at least, refrain from garnishing this crippling pandemic with partisan commentary if only because it does nothing to alleviate the situation.

We are all equally at risk (some more than others perhaps) and for that reason at least, should be supportive of efforts to manage the spread.

I believe Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin and his team (their politics notwithstanding) will do their best to provide the leadership the country needs through carefully considered decisions from the medical and financial resources they command.

What the rest of us may do is to religiously follow the personal hygiene protocols repeated ad nauseam on social media and learn to be less dependent on face-to-face social interactions.

This could be the time to restart the old habit of picking out a book to read. That may be a challenge but nothing like the one we are all facing today.

Mazilamani: I want to believe that new government, after consulting with the relevant stakeholders, have taken the right measures to harness the spread of the virus and to quickly identify those who have contracted the virus and taken ill.

It is good to know students are placed on extended school holidays to avoid contracting the virus. It was a very bold step by the government to stop all religious congregations and functions.

Let us now hope that there is no profiteering on essential food items, including vegetable and fresh meat plus fish.

Check on the prices of face mask, which has gone up from RM15 per box of 50 pieces to anything between RM80 to RM120. The authorities must exercise its enforcement strictly for the good of the rakyat.

Anonymous_16760865429524: What does "close the business" mean? Close the physical office but still operate or suspend operations for two weeks?

What about industries which are not essential services but which play important roles in supporting the essential services? For example, manufacturing, logistics, supply chain, IT services and hardware/software maintenance? Do they close or continue?

What does "restriction" (sekatan) mean? Some say "barred" or "banned" from travelling, but some say "restricted", which implies overseas travel still allowed but subject to conditions and limitations. Which is it?

This order looks like a poorly drafted, half-baked rush job. You are locking down an entire nation. Millions of lives will be affected. Billions of ringgit will be lost. The details matter.

Gerard Lourdesamy: Essential services are defined in the First Schedule to the Industrial Relations Act 1967. If you do not come within that definition, then your premises, offices, plant and factories must close for 14 days.

If you wish to work from home, that is dependent on the nature of your trade, business or profession. There is a total ban on Malaysians travelling abroad.

Those returning from abroad will be subjected to medical checks and quarantine. Foreigners being tourists and visitors are not allowed to enter Malaysia during the 14 days period.

Further measures will be announced in due course. The entire operation is under the oversight of the National Security Council (NSC). A hotline will be operational from today.

Enforcement will be under the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988 and the Police Act 1967. The powers of the NSC are contained in the National Security Council Act 2016.

OMG!: Covid-19 is believed to have a 14-day incubation period, therefore there are unknown numbers of people, already in Malaysia, both local and foreign, who may be infected without realising it. Within the 14 days, they could infect countless more people.

Thus, a lockdown acts to minimise the transmission of the virus. However, it has to be partial because essential services must go on, plus those supplying food to the public must remain open.

It is possible that the lockdown may be extended after March 31 if the number of new cases keeps accelerating. I hope it works and we should all comply fully with measures taken by the government.

Clever Voter: While there is no argument against the proposed actions, there will be many inconveniences for those in need of medical aid, and also those impacted financially.

Part-time workers will see their income drop. So will daily workers beyond those providing essential services. But importantly, public health is the overriding factor.

If only our self-serving politicians apply such principles more regularly. The two-week break will hopefully see some positive changes. It could teach them that it pays to do the right thing.

Anti-Racial: There is no point to get angry and criticise the government's decision now. I think there is nothing else better the government can do for now than to contain and control the Covid-19 virus from spreading further.

I understand that many things are not very clear at the moment, but I believe more details will be provided stage by stage. The PM could not explain every minute detail in his 20-minute speech.

Let us be patient and go through this difficult time together successfully.

The Fog Of Life: I ask my fellow Malaysians to support these initiatives. Our nation must now come together and stand as one. The containment battle against the phase 2 spike cannot be won.

We must now move on with this lockdown and let us do so willingly and gracefully for the sake of our future generations. God Bless Malaysia.

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