KUALA LUMPUR, May 4 — Allaying fears of another wave of Covid-19 with the new conditional movement control order (CMCO), Health Director-General Datuk Dr Noor Hisham once again reminded Malaysians that the key is in public compliance.
Asked what he thought of the Phase Five announced today a week early, Dr Noor Hisham said the CMCO was to allow the economic sector to be re-opened, but maintained that it was imperative that the people comply with the standard operating procedures and practice social discipline, or there would be consequences.
“I have mentioned it before, we have managed to flatten the curve in MCO one, two, three and earlier part of four. The message to the public was to stay at home. Now the message is to follow the SOP.
“This is important. It’s easy to judge, but look at other countries like Taiwan and Korea where there isn’t an MCO, but they have the social discipline to comply. If they can comply — wear masks, wash their hands, maintain distance — rest assured we can break the chain of infection. If not, it will increase,” he said.
Adding that large gatherings and activities were still banned under the CMCO, he outlined a new “SOP” acronym.
S stands for “syarat-syarat “or conditions set, O for the “orang-orang berisiko”, or high-risk groups like children, babies, senior citizens and vulnerable groups who needed more protection, and P for “penjarakan social” or social distancing where a distance of at least one metre is maintained at all times.
“As long as the people maintain this new norm in their daily lives, the chain of infection can be broken,” he said.
“If they do not, action will be taken,” he said.
