KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia has gone into a nationwide total lockdown in an attempt to curb the worsening Covid-19 situation, with only essential economic and services sectors allowed to operate.
The generally bustling Kuala Lumpur city centre was emptier than usual, as the 14-day lockdown came into effect yesterday.
It was a rare sight to see the fairly quiet streets of Bukit Bintang during business hours.
However, it was not a complete standstill as people donned in business attire and uniforms – presumably workers in the essential sectors – were seen rushing off to work.
Checks by The Vibes found that all non-essential shops at the Pavilion KL mall were closed, but the public were still allowed to enter.
Although food outlets had very few customers, they were busy preparing online orders, while food delivery riders were seen waiting outside the premises.
Police were spotted patrolling the shopping district and checking on the use of the MySejahtera registration method at business premises that are permitted to operate.
Confusion over SOP U-Turns
Malaysians met by The Vibes yesterday admitted that they are puzzled by the latest flip-flop on Covid-19 standard operating procedures (SOPs) and policy U-turns.
Some said they are upset and frustrated that the lockdown has come too little, too late when it should have been implemented months ago, when the nation reported a surge in Covid-19 cases.
On Sunday, Senior Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said all existing International Trade and Industry Ministry (Miti) permission letters that allowed workers to travel under previous movement control order iterations will no longer be valid after May 31.
He said new requests to travel for work must be directed to the industries’ respective ministries.
On Monday, just hours before the lockdown, the National Security Council (NSC) said all approval letters will be issued only from a one-stop centre under Miti.
NSC in a statement said new permit applications to travel for work must be done via the ministry’s Covid-19 Intelligent Management System 3.0.
In the most recent development, Petaling Jaya police chief Mohamad Fakhrudin Abdul Hamid said Selangor top cop Datuk Arjunaidi Mohamed has allowed the use of old Miti permission letters for work-related travel until tomorrow.
It seems like the confusion has yet to end, with the government’s left hand and right hand not knowing what the other is doing.
At this point, most Malaysians are just seeing red. – The Vibes, June 2, 2021
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