Lockdown won’t end tomorrow, announcement on more aid to be made by Tuesday: PM

KUALA LUMPUR – The nationwide lockdown will not end tomorrow, with Phase 1 of the National Recovery Plan (NRP) to continue until the daily Covid-19 caseload dips below 4,000, said Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

“The government will announce more comprehensive assistance for all levels of society on Monday or Tuesday.”

He told Bernama that aid will be rendered to the B40, M40 and T20 groups, involving more than 12 million households affected by the lockdown.

“There will be aid for the B40 and M40 groups, and in a few cases, the T20, such as a loan moratorium. This is a more comprehensive plan than the one announced previously,” he told reporters during a visit to the Sunway Pyramid Convention Centre vaccination site today.

“I want to say that from now on, we don’t call it MCO (movement control order), but we say we’re in Phase 1 (of NRP) until July, maybe the middle of the month or so.

“Phase 1 of NRP will remain until the country meets the three indicators set out in the plan.”

On the spread of Covid-19 in Selangor, he said the government is paying special attention to the state, whose daily caseload is often above 2,000.

He said the enhanced MCO (EMCO) imposed on localities with high infection numbers will be enforced more strictly.

“There are many cases in Selangor, whether at the workplace, or in residential areas or communities. If you want to reduce the infection rate, attention should be paid to these areas (under EMCO).”

When announcing NRP on June 15, Muhyiddin said it will be data-based and refer to three primary indicators.

“The first indicator is community spread, based on daily cases. The second is ICU bed capacity. The third is the percentage of the population that has been fully vaccinated.”

He said Phase 1 involves a full lockdown, which is currently in force, and that the government will consider moving to Phase 2 only when daily coronavirus cases fall below 4,000. 

“In Phase 2, social activities, and interstate and inter-district travel are still prohibited.” – The Vibes, June 27, 2021