The Malaysian Movement Control Order (MCO) will be extended until the 28th of April 2020. The two week period between the 15th and 28th of April will be the third phase of the MCO. This is, of course, to help healthcare workers cope with the spread of COVID-19. The Prime Minister stated that in other countries where movement restrictions were taken off too early, the spread of COVID-19 would spike.
The MCO began on the 18th of March and was initially extended until the 14th of April with the government promising to inform us of an extension on the 10th of April if it was necessary. That extension has now been deemed necessary as the number of new COVID-19 cases continues to grow in the hundreds day-by-day.
The 2nd phase of the MCO (referred to as the Enhanced Movement Control Order) saw greater restrictions on movement, including:
- Time restricting e-hailing, ride-sharing, food deliveries, restaurants and other essential business
- Only allowing one member of the household to get groceries, and this must be done with a face mask on
- Restricting travel to 10km from one’s residence
It is expected that these rules will continue to be enforced until the end of the MCO. That being said, the Prime Minister said sectors of the economy will be allowed to run in stages. This is not to say that the MCO rules will be loosened, but that new Standard Operating Procedures might be considered for certain industries. These have yet to be announced, so in the mean time, stay at home and stay safe.
