COVID-19: PM reiterates government's 'No MCO, No Emergency' stand

He said Malaysians need to live with COVID-19 and view it as an endemic just like other infectious diseases.

"The Health Ministry, and I myself have stated that we have to learn to live with COVID-19 as an endemic just like other diseases, including the flu and dengue, and we must carry on with our daily lives while controlling it by complying with the standard operating procedures (SOP)," he said.

Ismail Sabri, who is also UMNO vice-president, said this to reporters after attending a meet-and-greet programme with Ledang Barisan Nasional (BN) election machinery here today.

Also present were Johor Menteri Besar cum UMNO liaison committee chairman Datuk Hasni Mohammad and Ledang UMNO chief Datuk Hamim Samuri.

Ismail Sabri said restricting movement and closing economic sectors would burden Malaysians greatly, especially as things were just beginning to return to a state of normalcy.

"Now that we have reopened our economic sector, it's not possible to shut it down again. We know how hard it was for Malaysians when the MCO was enforced...they want to resume their business, if we re-enforce the MCO again, they will close shop forever.

"The same goes for movement. We have allowed inter-district, interstate travel...we just haven't reopened our borders because of the high number of cases abroad, and they (other countries) too would not accept travellers," he said.

The prime minister, however, said that Enhanced MCO (EMCO) would be enforced by the government on the locality showing a spike in COVID-19 cases.

"We will only enforce EMCO in that particular locality or if it's a flat, then the whole flat...we don't want to affect the economy and movement of citizens," he said.

On the Pakatan Harapan (PH) presidential council's statement yesterday which urged the government to postpone the Johor state election due to the spike in COVID-19 cases, Ismail Sabri only a state of emergency could postpone the election.

Ismail Sabri, however, said that the government would not do such a thing as the rise in cases were nationwide and not restricted to Johor alone.

"The postponement of the election can only be done through a proclamation of emergency for the entire state of Johor. So I believe it will not happen because, during the Melaka state election, the cases were also high. So there is no reason to declare an emergency in Johor," he said.