KUALA LUMPUR, May 10 — Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad calls Malaysian to refrain from visiting families and friends during Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebrations this week.

He said that the condition of Covid-19 pandemic is so severe that the people need to be patient and adhere to the Health Ministry’s SOP and not mingle with other people.

“There is no need for us to visit the homes of friends and relatives. Because that’s not a good visit as maybe we’ll get infected or they’ll get infected.

“We need to be patient in this year’s celebration because we want to see this disease reduced by our actions,” he said in a special address today.

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Dr Mahathir cited a news report that an individual who travelled for a relative’s funeral spread the infection to more than two thousand people and resulted in more than 20 deaths.

The Langkawi MP and former practicing doctor also reminded members of the public to ensure a one-metre gap at the very least when social distancing to reduce the risk of virus transmission.

He said he himself has stopped going out to pray and to ramadan bazaars due to crowds.

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“I thanked them because they are concerned about my health but the truth of the matter is they went very close to me. 

“The same thing as at the ramadan bazaar, people want to approach me and take photos with me,” he said.