PETALING JAYA: With farmers markets, night markets and factories all open, former prime minister Najib Razak says the movement control order should just be lifted.
“Construction sites are open, furniture stores are open, jewellery shops are open, luxury lingerie and fashion retailers are open (and) shopping malls are open. Until 10pm,” he said in a Facebook post today.
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“Why are we really implementing an MCO when Covid-19 cases are rising but restrictions are getting looser. If that is the case, just stop the MCO to be fair to everyone.”
Night markets in Kuala Lumpur appear to have been given the green light to resume operations after federal territories minister Annuar Musa said Kuala Lumpur City Hall has been asked to prepare standard operating procedures for night markets.
Senior minister for security Ismail Sabri Yaakob, meanwhile, said yesterday that the National Security Council has agreed to allow all businesses in essential sectors to operate until 10pm from today.
This includes supermarkets, sundry shops, convenience stores, pharmacies, optometrists, laundrettes and pet shops.
The announcement comes after restaurants and shops selling food also saw their hours extended to 10pm following complaints from the public and industry players.
Once again calling for a stricter MCO to help curb the spread of Covid-19, Najib said this would also relieve the pressure on the country’s health system and frontliners.
Stating that the country has now undergone 17 days of a “half-baked MCO” which he called a waste, Najib said Malaysia is now the most affected by Covid-19 in Asean.
“It’s as if the government wants Covid-19 numbers to stay high and prolonged,” he said. “The rakyat need to be ready to face a worsening spread of Covid-19 in the coming months.”
