Ismail Sabri looking forward to meeting constituents

He said he has been working practically non-stop since the Movement Control Order (MCO) was enforced on March 18 and cannot wait to return to Bera in Pahang to visit his constituents now that interstate travel is allowed.

“I plan to return to my Parliamentary constituency (Bera) this weekend. I plan to take a short break… it has been 84 days since the MCO was imposed and I’ve not visited my constituents since then. Instead, I’ve been meeting members of the media every day,” he said, smiling.

Since the start of the MCO, Ismail Sabri’s press conference at 2 pm has become a daily fixture, where he gives a rundown on the latest developments with regard to enforcement activities, public sanitisation operations and other non-health-related matters.

Fondly addressed as ‘Pak Long Mail’ by netizens in reference to the warnings and advice he dishes out to the people every day, Ismail Sabri was quoted as saying that he could not possibly visit his constituents during the MCO (March 18-May 12) and Conditional MCO (May 4-June 9) because “I can’t be travelling to another state when I’m constantly reminding the people not to do so”.

On Sunday, Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin announced that the CMCO would be replaced by the Recovery Movement Control Order (RMCO) beginning June 10 up to Aug 31.

Under RMCO, interstate travel is allowed, except to areas still under Enhanced Movement Control Order. Almost all activities in the economic, religious, social and education sectors have also been given the green light to resume full operations.

Malaysians in general are overjoyed that the ban on interstate travel has been lifted. For the past three months, they patiently stayed at home and now they cannot wait to visit their parents back in the kampung, as well as their family members and relatives.

Since it is still the month of Syawal, the Hari Raya mood has been rekindled as Muslims look forward to the reunions with their families.

Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri, who is MP for Batang Sadong in Samarahan district, Sarawak, said she is taking a flight to Kuching tomorrow for official duties.

“I’m going to meet the state heads of departments and agencies under my ministry,” she said, adding that she is looking forward to more opportunities to return to Sarawak now that interstate travels are permitted.

Meanwhile, Dr Nur Fahimah Amir Jalaluddin, 33, who is among the COVID-19 frontliners at a Ministry of Health facility in Pekan, Pahang, plans to return to her kampung in Ipoh on June 20.

She could not return earlier as she and her colleagues are taking turns to go on leave.

“I feel grateful that I’m able to visit my parents towards the end of Syawal. I’ve not returned home since February and missed the opportunity to break fast with my parents this Ramadan,” she said.

The lifting of various restrictions under RMCO comes with certain conditions as well as the government does not want to see a resurgence in COVID-19 cases in this country.

As reiterated by Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah, every person must comply with the standard operating procedures (SOPs) set by the government to break the chain of COVID-19 infection.

At a recent press briefing, referring to the RMCO, he said this phase is to balance both the need to preserve lives and kick-start economic recovery, and prepare the nation for the exit strategy post-Aug 31.

He also stressed that the success of RMCO would depend on public compliance with the various SOPs and community involvement in practising the new normal in their daily lives.

“Let’s take care of our own selves, our families, our communities and our nation. If we don’t, who else will,” he said.