PETALING JAYA — A three-week nationwide MCO comes into force from Wednesday (May 12), on the eve of Hari Raya Aidilfitri, with all social activities including Hari Raya visits banned.
Ordering the movement restrictions, Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin declared that Malaysia was faced with a third wave of Covid-19 infections which he said could cause a national crisis.
All schools and colleges are to be closed but daycare centres and kindergartens can stay open.
All economic sectors are allowed to operate but employers must enforce a work-from-home policy with only 30% of management staff allowed on the premises.
The ban on interstate and inter-district travel, already announced from May 10 to June 6, will remain in place. Only three persons will be allowed to travel in a car.
However, Muhyiddin said “specific measures” already in force in Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan would remain. He did not state what these measures were but state officials have made more relaxed local rules in recent weeks.
The announcement of the national MCO, the third since March last year, comes in the wake of a surge of Covid-19 infections, with case numbers reaching more than 4,000 in recent days.
It amounts to a reversal of government policy, after Muhyiddin stated in March that there would not be any further nationwide MCO, a policy reiterated by senior minister for security Ismail Sabri Yaakub two days ago.
However, sporadic localised MCO restrictions have already been enforced in major urban areas such as Kuala Lumpur, Ipoh, Kuantan, and George Town.
Muhyiddin had been under pressure to declare a national MCO, especially from senior Umno members. On Sunday, former prime minister Najib Razak called for a short, sharp MCO with clear goals, stating that the government should not bow down to business interests while Umno deputy president Mohamad Hasan said an MCO should be declared immediately.
The restrictions announced today are:
- Social gatherings such as wedding banquets, birthday celebrations and official events are not be allowed from May 12 to June 7. No Hari Raya visits will be allowed.
- Interstate and inter-district travel remains banned, except for emergencies, health, work, economy or vaccination purposes, as well as for long-distance couples.
- The travel restrictions, as well as those on the education, social and sports sectors, will remain in place until June 6.
- Other restrictions announced today come into force from May 12 to June 7.
- Aidilfitri prayers in mosques and suraus will be allowed to go ahead with a limit of not more than 50 people for premises that can fit more than 1,000 congregants while smaller mosques and suraus that can fit less than 1,000 people are allowed only 20 worshippers.
- Tighter rules for non-Muslim houses of worship will be announced by the national unity ministry.
- Seminars, conferences and meetings will be banned. Marriage ceremonies will be allowed but with strict SOPs in place.
- All sports activities remain banned except for jogging, cycling and other exercises with physical distancing.
, on the eve of Hari Raya Aidilfitri, with all social activities including Hari Raya visits banned.){kind=link}