MCO will be extended or not will be known in 72 hours

In about 72 hours, the public will know whether the Movement Control Order (MCO), enforced since March 18, will be further extended or not to curb the spread of COVID-19.

It was initially enforced until March 31, but extended to April 14 and this Friday (April 10), the government is expected to make the much awaited announcement on whether MCO will be further extended.

Many people are hoping the MCO, which enters its 22nd day today, will not be further extended so that they could return to their normal lives, but it will all depend on the COVID-19 situation in the country and the government will certainly not place the health of its people at stake.

For the record, Malaysia has recorded 69 COVID-19 sporadic cases (cases where the source of infection cannot be traced).

A total of 170 new COVID-19 cases , with one death, were as of noon yesterday, bringing the accumulated COVID-19 cases in the country to 3,963, with a total of 63 deaths.

We can all take pride that the country's crime index has dropped by 70 per cent since enforcement of MCO, but the number of individuals who were caught for defying the MCO has increased to 6,451 people as of yesterday.

On public sanitation, Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said the government, through the Ministry of Housing and Local Government (KPKT), had conducted 666 sanitation operations in 79 zones, including all the 18 Red Zones.

The premises that were disinfected comprised government buildings and 24,077 units of People's Housing Projects (PPR).

The operation is important because there is another location placed under the Enhanced Movement Control Order (EMCO), namely the Malayan Mansion and Selangor Mansion buildings here.

Prior to that, the EMCO was enforced in three areas, namely Simpang Renggam, Kluang, Johor; Sungai Lui, Hulu Langat, Selangor, and City One Tower, Jalan Munshi Abdullah here.

Apart from efforts by the government, the public and corporate companies have also joined forces to help curb the COVID-19 outbreak, including by donating to the COVID-19 Fund, which has reached RM22.6 million.

Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, through a posting on his Facebook, stated that as of Monday (April 6), a total of RM5.68 million from the fund was channeled to the National Welfare Foundation (YKN) for purchase of daily necessities to be donated to those affected by the outbreak.

He said RM195,000 was also distributed to 39 next-of-kin of COVID-19 victims as 'Bayaran Ihsan Kematian'.

The COVID-19 Fund was launched on March 11 as an effort by the government to help the people who are affected by the outbreak.

As such, Malaysia needs the cooperation and support of all the people during this MCO period to prevent COVID-19 from further spreading.

As citizens of the country, we should comply with the rules of MCO, to not spread fake news, including on social media and to appreciate the role of the frontline personnel in protecting the people's lives and security in the country.

-- BERNAMA