Nation’s economy to reopen on Monday and 10 news from yesterday

KINI ROUNDUP | Key headlines you may have missed yesterday, in brief.

1. Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin has announced that most businesses can return to work beginning May 4, but social distancing measures and other precautions must be implemented, and some activities are still banned. However, a number of questions still linger despite the guidelines issued.

2. Health Ministry director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said the conditional movement control order (MCO) strikes a balance between ‘life and livelihood’, but those who flout the rules will have the enhanced movement control order (EMCO) imposed on them if a Covid-19 outbreak occurs.

3. Economists said the conditional movement control order is an important step for the economy’s recovery after losing RM63 billion so far. Some health experts warn the easing of restrictions may have come too soon and are urging for caution and vigilance.

4. Malaysia has recorded 69 new Covid-19 cases on the day it moved to ease movement restrictions. Over the past seven days, nearly two-thirds of the 380 new cases recorded were locally transmitted, causing former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak to voice concerns and advocate a more gradual reopening of the economy.

5. Hundreds of enforcement officers have conducted massive immigration raids against undocumented migrants at Menara City One and several building around Masjid India - two coronavirus red-zone areas in Kuala Lumpur.

6. NGO have condemned the raid and warned it could make undocumented migrants even less likely to cooperate with measures to control the spread of Covid-19, especially since it runs contrary to earlier assurances that no action will be taken if they come forward for testing.

7. Defence Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said no undocumented migrant has voluntarily offered themselves for testing despite reassurances, while Noor Hisham said the Health Ministry will continue to ensure the health of undocumented migrants, including those sent to detention camps.

8. The Social Security Organisation (Socso) has retracted its tweet stating that it had stopped processing applications for its employee retention programme (ERP) due to a lack of funds. The ERP is still in operation, it said.

9. Umno will hold its supreme council meeting on Monday, which would be its first formal meeting since the movement control order began.

10. The photographer of picture that have gone viral on social media showing Malacca River with clear waters has clarified that it was taken in February, before the movement control order was imposed.

11. Despite the hype surrounding various strains Covid-19 being discovered, the virus that causes the disease turns out to mutate relatively slowly and has yet to change how the virus affects humans. This could be a boon for vaccine makers.

Keep up with the latest information on the outbreak in the country with Malaysiakini's free Covid-19 tracker.

Malaysiakini is providing free access to the most important updates on the coronavirus pandemic. You can find them here.

Help keep independent media alive - subscribe to Malaysiakini.