MCO 2.0 to be extended and enhanced and other news you may have missed

KINI ROUNDUP | Here are key headlines you may have missed, in brief.

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1. The movement control order set to expire on Feb 4 has been extended for another two weeks until Feb 18, and will be enhanced with stricter measures to be detailed soon. Rules for Chinese New Year celebrations will also be announced.

2. The announcement comes as Health Ministry figures showed that the infectivity of Covid-19 in Malaysia has not been reduced since the second MCO was first implemented in several states since Jan 13, and is instead slightly higher.

3. As the MCO drags on, so does its economic burden. Foreign investors withdrew RM535.5 million in local equities last week, while small businesses predict a gloomy Chinese New Year shopping season.

4. Covid-19 cases have fallen slightly yesterday, but a record number of deaths have been recorded. Colleagues spoke highly of nurse Artini Dzolkarnaini who succumbed to the disease after giving birth to a girl, while Home Minister Hamzah Zainuddin shared his experience of surviving the disease.

5. Pharmaniaga gave its assurance that Sinovac’s Covid-19 vaccine will prevent Covid-19, especially severe manifestations of the disease. It will deliver the first shipment of one million doses to the government ahead of schedule in March.

6. Former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak is suing former attorney-general Tommy Thomas for alleged defamation in the latter’s memoir and demands RM10 million in damages.

7. Home Minister Hamzah said the Malaysian United Democratic Alliance (Muda) and Pejuang failed to meet the requirements for registering as political parties, just as Pejuang is mulling to take the matter to court again if the minister fails the respond on its application.

8. Lawyers representing a Mongolian rape survivor who was allegedly raped by a police officer have successfully raised money through crowdfunding to institute a civil action against her assailant.

9. Sabah police commissioner Hazani Ghazali said he is saddened by an incident where several villagers travelled together in a private hire vehicle to buy food were fined, but said his officers must enforce the rules.

10. Bersih and several other NGOs are taking Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin to court over his advice to the king to impose the emergency, while the Communications and Multimedia Ministry is seeking public feedback on the emergency proclamation.