KUALA LUMPUR, March 18 — It was unusually calm at Chow Kit’s famous wet market on Tuesday morning, a day before the government’s restriction of movement order came into effect in the government’s bid to contain the Covid-19 outbreak.

The calm scene was starkly different from the news of panic buying that made headlines after Putrajaya announced the unprecedented mandatory halt to all non-essential activities nationwide due to Malaysia’s worsening Covid-19 situation.

As of Monday, the number of confirmed Covid-19 cases in Malaysia rose to a total of 553 cases, Ministry of Health said.

Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin announced on live television last night a two-week partial lockdown. Travel into and out of the country are barred, government and private offices bar "essential services” will be closed. This includes eateries and malls.

Yet consumers took no comfort in knowing that markets or sundry shops selling essential foods and goods will remain open.

Several eatery operators Malay Mail spoke to said they were also stuck in the mad rush of buying that took place less than an hour after the partial lockdown was announced.

"It was crazy,” said Ding Chee Kok, a restaurant manager.

"We were at Pudu Market, we went to NSK and people were panic buying. They had to close early.”

But at the Chow Kit wet market consumers had mixed feelings. Some said they had no choice but to stock up on goods as marts they frequent ran out of food.

Yet there those who said the two-week movement restriction meant little to them.

"I’m not the panicky type,” said M. Dass, 70.

"The more you panic the more you’ll court trouble.”

Shoppers throng Chow Kit’s wet market in Kuala Lumpur March 17, 2020. — Picture by Firdaus Latif