4:45 PM: There have been 70 new cases today with 88 recoveries and one more death. All in all, we now have 6,726 positive cases in Malaysia.
Mon, May 11, 9 AM: Last night, both Angkatan Tentera Malaysia and PDRM have barricaded the whole of PJ Old Town with barbed wires after the recent wet market case. The market near Jalan Othman, Section 2 and 4 are the affected areas of the lockdown.
At the same time, it was only yesterday when Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has publicly addressed the extension of the CMCO for another 4 weeks which is until June 9. In his statement, he mentioned that balik kampung is strictly not allowed however you can now visit neighbours or relatives within the same area with a maximum of 20 people at a time. As for religious activities, the SOP will be announced soon in regards to that matter. Besides that, for spouses who live in different states because of their job can travel interstate by applying through the Gerak Malaysia app. Last but not least, the appealing process for the BPN will be extended until the end of May.
5 PM: For today’s update on cases, it has been reported that there have been 68 new cases with 88 recoveries and no deaths bringing it to a total of 6,535.
Fri, May 8, 12 PM: The Health DG has stated that the decision of the extension or lifting the CMCO can only be decided depending on the cases from yesterday and today. He has also mentioned that there are no plans for any exit strategies yet, as there was a new cluster of patients from the Cheras mall yesterday. In regards to barbershops and salons, they still aren’t allowed to operate yet as there’s still a high possibility of transmitting the virus between both customers and employees.
Also, although balik kampung is still not allowed, that who have requested to return to their homes can now do so by using land public transportation. Especially for those who don’t have a car.
5:30 PM: Although you may be allowed to travel interstate, for now when it comes to balik kampung or anything related to social visitation is not allowed. The CMCO might have loosened certain restrictions but it is up to us citizens to abide it.
Anyway, moving on to the number of cases for today, there are 39 newly infected ones with zero deaths bringing it a total of 6,467.
Thurs, May 7, 9 AM: As it is the first day of interstate travel for the members of the public whose applications have been approved, PDRM has set up roadblocks at strategic areas to avoid unnecessary travelling.
Besides that, in regards to the matter of Hire Purchase loan moratoriums, there will be no interest nor additional charges during the CMCO.
Kenyataan Media YB @tzafrul_aziz, Menteri Kewangan mengenai Tiada Caj Tambahan atas Bayaran Ansuran Perjanjian Sewa Beli (Konvensional dan Shariah). pic.twitter.com/VE82Kk7WAY
— Ministry of Finance (@MOFmalaysia) May 6, 2020
The Ministry of Finance has confirmed that the moratoriums that were initially offered by banks will remain the same with the extended repayment period for the following six months.
In the latest FAQ sheet dated May 1 from BNM’s website, it stated that interest or profit will accrue during the six-month moratorium period. However, in its previous sheet that’s dated March 27, it was shown that “No additional interest/profit charged during deferment.” Many have come front to criticise BNM including politician Kuching MP Kelvin Yii.
Members of the public can obtain further information from their respective banks.
4:42 PM: There are 45 new cases reported with 2 new deaths bringing it a total of 6,428 cases.
12 PM: Penang’s Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow and state government are ready to face lawsuits and are willing to be sued. He has also challenged, International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali to come front with proof that the state government is actually going against the new CMCO.
According to The Star, the mentries besar and chief ministers were informed about restarting the economy during the National Security Council meeting which was held on April 28. However, they have requested a week to study the yet finalised SOP as they would be able to make preparations to face the new order.
“It was decided that the SOP would be finalised by April 30, and the respective state governments would be given the opportunity to give their input.
“However, this never happened and the Prime Minister went ahead to announce the conditional MCO that was implemented on Monday,”
Chow also stated that no state governments including Penang had objections to the new CMCO besides just requestion for time to strategise.
“I want to ask Azmin to explain why the states were not consulted prior to the announcement of the conditional MCO.
“The Penang government and I are ready to be sued to protect the lives of our 1.8 million people.
Wed, May 6, 9:30 AM: When it comes to the matter of the expiration of driving licenses, the public are still allowed to drive their vehicle during the new CMCO. But only, if their vehicle insurance is still valid. With that said though, Pos Malaysia is now opened and the members of the public can choose to renew their driver’s and Motor Vehicle License.
On top of that, with the new implementation of the CMCO, the malls in Selangor have started full operations with the full compliance of the SOP. The only outlets that are not allowed to operate in malls are cinemas, gyms, salons, karaokes with an exception of just ‘shop and buy’ for fashion retail stores. Standard thermal scanning will be conducted at the entrances of all malls with visible social distancing markers.
5:20 PM: During the daily COVID-19 press conference, Health-DG has reported 30 new cases with 1 new death, bringing it to a total of 6,383 cases.
3:30 PM: Defence Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob has announced in his latest press conference that the 10 pm to 6 am curfew alongside inter-district travel will no longer be in effect. He also said, “Inter-state travel is still not allowed, so currently the express busses are not operating,” reported Malaysia Kini.
Besides that, Selangor government advises all bussiness in the state to print out the new SELangor QR codes and display it at the entrance of the premise. Customers would need to scan the code as it is needed to record customers details before entering a premise. The details recorded will be stored by the local government.
Tues, May 5, 9 AM: Yesterday, few states have announced that they won’t be implementing the Conditional MCO as their priority is to protect the public’s safety from the novelty virus. However, with that in mind, Senior Minister Datuk Seri Azmin Ali has urged all state governments to comply with the new order as they did not have the lawful authority to refuse the execution of the CMCO. He also stated that those who failed to do so would open up to the possibilities of facing lawsuits from affected industries.
5 PM: The Health-Director General has reported that there have been 55 new cases today with zero deaths. All in all, the total number of cases stands at 6,353.
Mon, May 4, 9 AM: Today is the day that Malaysia begins practising the new Conditional Movement Control Order that was officially announced by the Prime Minister, last Friday on May 1.
The federal government has also stated that four people can now ride in one car during the CMCO. This is only applicable to family members or for those from the same household.
On another note, right after the day of announcing the CMCO, there has been a spike of cases the next day (Saturday, May 2) with 105 people tested positive for the novelty virus alongside a new cluster that was identified in Temerloh, Pahang. Whereas on May 3, there were 122 new cases. The last three-digit breach was recorded on April 14.
It is reported that there is a possibility of us Malaysians to face the third wave of infections because of this new CMCO. According to the executive director of the Galen Centre for Health and Social Policy, Azrul Mohd Khalib is that the wisest thing that could have been done was to wait until May 12 as stated initially and proceed on with the new order. Because of its lack of preparation, there’s a high chance that there will be an increase in cases.
With that in mind, the state of Kedah, Kelantan, Pahang, Sabah and Sarawak won’t be implementing the new conditional MCO whereas both Selangor and Negeri Sembilan would not be allowing restaurants to be opened for dine-ins, only for takeouts and delivery as usual from 7 am to 10 pm daily. Also, it is reported that Penang would be implementing the order in three phases from May 4 to May 8 and May 9 to May 12 then May 13. And as for Perak, they will be complying with the new CMCO except for both food and sports and recreation sectors.
That said, the cumulative total now in Malaysia now stands at 6,298 with 4,413 recoveries and 105 deaths.
Fri, May 1, 5 PM: It has been officially announced by the Prime Minister that starting from May 4, most businesses and industries are allowed to fully operate as long as they obey the provided SOP by the World Health Organisation.
Here are what you should know about the latest announcement:
- Most businesses would be allowed to fully operate except for clubs, cinemas, theme parks and basically anything that attracts a large gathering of people.
- Certain outdoor exercises that don’t involve body contact or a large number of people such as jogging, cycling, tennis and so on are allowed.
- However, when it comes to social activities, anything related to entertainment and leisure, religious celebrations and gatherings, education, beauty salons and clothing stores are strictly prohibited from operating.
- Interstate travel is not allowed excluding those who travel for work purposes only.
- All kindergartens, schools and universities will still remain closed.
- Companies should arrange flexible schedules so that not all employees come to work at the same time.
- Employers must take the temperature of the employees every time they report to work.
- As for public sector employees, they are advised to remain working from home unless they are in need in the office. Same goes to the other sectors of the economy.
- All employers must abide by the COVID-19 guideline in the workplace.
- Employers are advised to take necessary action to avoid laying off employees following the Code of Conduct.
Restaurants:
- As for the F&B industries, all restaurants are allowed to resume operations but would need to have the tables arranges at least two meters away from each other.
- Restaurants would need to notify how many customers can sit in each table (only one or two is allowed)
- Would need to draw line restrictions on the floor to maintain a safe distance of 1-meter when queuing up.
- Hand sanitizer and hand wash must be available for customer use.
- Servers are required to wipe the table clean with disinfectants every time a customer leaves to ensure the spot is disinfected and safe to be seated.
- Employees must wear masks at all times.
- On the first day, employees should get their temperature checked before entering the restaurant.
- Restaurant owners or managers must record the presence of their customers with names, phone numbers and date to ease tracking them down in case of any COVID-19 infections happens.
Latest updates for positive COVID-19 cases in the country today is that there have been 69 new cases coming to a total of 6,017 with 4,210 recoveries and 103 deaths (one new death).
Thurs, April 30, 5 PM: Malaysia has 57 new cases today with 4,171 recoveries and an unfortunate two deaths totalling up to 102 deaths. The Health Ministry also announced that they will be receiving 50,000 antigen test kits from South Korea this Friday for the first batch. However, it’ll be sent out to Sabah and Sarawak first. Whereas the second one will be received on Saturday and will be distributed by next week.
Wed, April 29, 5 PM: There are 94 new cases summing it all up to 5,945 with 4,087 recoveries and 100 deaths. The government has also announced that two individuals from the same can now go out together in the same car for grocery shopping. Both individuals have to either be living in the same household or family members.
5:30 PM: Current total for the COVID-19 cases in Malaysia now stands at 5,851 with 31 new cases, 4,032 recoveries altogether and 1 death, bringing it to a 100.
With that said, according to the red zone districts, it has been confirmed that the numbers have decreased with only 12 red zones and 77 green zones.
KKM tweeted earlier today saying, “We may have not won yet. However, everything can go back to the way it was, only if we abide by the Movement Control Order.”
Tues, April 28, 9 AM: The latest update on the total number of positive COVID-19 cases in Malaysia would be 5,820. It was reported by the Health Ministry that there were 40 new cases with 95 new recoveries bringing it to 3,957 recoveries altogether. However, a new death has also been reported with a total of 99 deaths.
On another note regarding MCO violators is that Deputy Health Minister and Perak Exco were charged with an RM1,000 fine. On April 17, Dr Noor Azmi posted photos of himself with Razman Zakaria having a meal together at a tahfiz school in Lenggong. Because this was a strict violation of the MCO, both of them alongside 15 other individuals were charged with the fine.
Mon, April 27, 9 AM: Dr Noor Hisham explained how Malaysia was expected to have positive COVID-19 cases to peak on April 14 however the highest daily rise cases were 217 that day. He mentioned how we are currently undergoing a recovery phase and if we keep up this momentum, we could keep the cases under control.
With that said, he doesn’t mean for Malaysians to get too excited and start breaking the MCO rules because that might pave the way for a new wave of infections.
Current updates for the total number of cases would be 5,780 with 38 new cases yesterday, 3,862 recoveries and 98 deaths.
On another note, there have at least been over 300,000 people who have registered to go back to their respective homes via the Gerak Malaysia app. So if you’re stuck in your kampung and wish to go home, you can send in your applications from April 26 to April 29.
“The Gerak Malaysia app is to prevent big groups from going outside to apply at police stations. A generated QR code will be scanned by the officers manning roadblocks, easing travel for the applicant,” Federal CID director Comm Datuk Huzir Mohamed said in a statement Sunday, reported by The Star.
For verification, applicants would have to enable their location tracking on the app and they would have to follow the set scheduled which is determined by their location.
Those who can travel on May 1 would be those from Perak, Johor and Kelantan, whereas those in Perlis, Kedah, Penang, Melaka and Pahang would be travelling on May 2. As for Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, Negeri Sembilan and Terengganu, the applicants would be scheduled to travel on May 3.
“Travel must be done on the set days, according to the approved permits. Further details on the movement schedule and guidelines will be announced by the police on April 29,” he said.
3 PM: Health Director-General mentioned that even when the MCO gets lifted after May 12, it is clear that the travel ban might not. “We need to tighten border control, especially now, with the increasing number of cases in over 180 countries,” reported The Star.
Fri, April 24, 9 AM: So, the Prime Minister went live last night and has announced the fourth extension of the MCO and this time it is extended to May 12. The highlights of his speech were that students who are stuck on campus will be able to return home soon and those who are in their kampungs can travel back to their homes by submitting an application online.
Whereas for the business aspect of things, companies who have been selected to operate in approved services would have to abide by the rules. He also mentioned that there might be a slight-leeway of regulations for those in multiple sectors, social sectors included.
The Ministry of Finance along with the Prime Minister’s Department would be organising an economy plan called Pelan Pemulihan Ekonomi to help boost the economic activity in the country when the MCO gets lifted.
That said, the government is considering to allow more sectors to open but only if they abide by the rules.
5 PM: Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin will be announcing the latest standard operating procedures for the month of Ramadan tonight at 8 PM. It is unclear whether he would extend the MCO for the fourth time or not, but do stay tuned for the announcement.
Thurs, April 23, 1:30 PM: The Health-Director General has announced that are at least 45 healthcare workers who were tested positive with the novelty virus. He advised the doctors to always be cautious when treating patients even if it is a dengue case, pneumonia and SARI.
Wed, April 22, 4:45 PM: It was only yesterday when Malaysia’s Defence Minister came out with a statement that all local university students are allowed to return home. However, Health Director-General, Dr Noor Hisham alerted that the government should pace the release of the students from the campuses. His concern was that he doesn’t want the people to repeat the same mistake with people rushing back to their hometowns.
On another note about returning back home, those who rushed to balik kampung when the MCO was announced the first time are wanting to come back to KL. With many requests by the people, the Defense Minister announced in his press conference today that those who wishes to return would have to submit an application starting by the April 25 and send it to the nearest police station. Or they could also do it via online through the Gerak Malaysia app.
Tues, April 21, 5:27 PM: Latest update would be that we have a total of 57 positive COVID-19 cases in the country. With that, all together would be 5,482 cases with 3,349 recoveries and 92 deaths (3 deaths today).
Defence Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob mentioned that IPT students will be allowed to return home, only if they followed the SOP which is to be quarantined for the next 28 days.
Mon, April 20, 4 PM: It is official that Malaysia ranks fourth in the list of ASEAN countries affected by COVID-19 with 5,389 cases, 3,197 recoveries and 89 deaths.
As for the green states, besides Penang, Perlis and Kedah, there are five more states that have reported with zero cases: Perak, Negeri Sembilan, Terengganu, Kelantan and Labuan.
However, with Melaka, there has been an increase of 37 cases identifying a new cluster — students that were returning from Indonesia.
4:30 PM: It turns out that Penang, Perlis and Kedah are the first green states with no COVID-19 cases occurring in the span of 14 days.
That said, as for the whole country, our recovery rate seems to be among the highest in the world with a fatality rate of 1.6%.
Fri, April 17, 1:30 PM: As reported, there are at least a total of 267 medical staff that have been infected with the virus. The medical staff could have contracted the virus from patients who did not report their travel history.
Thurs, April 16, 12:30 PM: Ministry of Health has reported that there are 110 new cases in Malaysia with a total of 5,182 cases. There has also been a new addition to the death cases bringing it to 84 altogether with 2,766 cases.
Wed, April 15, 9:30 AM: According to the daily COVID-19 updates, MOH has reported that there have been at least 170 new cases as of yesterday bringing it a total of 4,987 positive cases. Whereas, there are 2,478 recoveries and 82 deaths.
With that said, Malaysia’s Chief of Police said that the MCO might be extended until June if there are more people violating the order.
5 PM: With the MCO extended, all important school exams such as UPSR, PT3 will be delayed until the end of the year. Whereas the Sijil Tinggi Agama Malaysia (STAM) will be moved to January and February 2021 for the third semester of the STPM exams.
“The Education Ministry will be meeting to finalise the dates for the examinations and an announcement is expected to be made by the minister in the near future,” reported MalaysiaKini.
As for the written exams of SPM, it’ll be held in one phase instead of two. Which will be happening from November 16 to December 7.
4:01 PM: Malaysia’s Defense Minister has released a statement that the RM1,000 compound notices will no longer be released to those MCO violators from tomorrow onwards. Instead, they will be remanded and charged in court right away.
The third phase of MCO is set to start tomorrow until April 28. If only Malaysians could obey the order, this whole thing could probably come to an end soon.
Tues, April 14, 1:30 PM: According to JP Morgan, Malaysia would hit its peak in April with at least 6,300 cases of COVID-19. However, the Ministry of Health is expecting the best in all possible ways that Malaysia could beat the predicted number as the country now stands with 4,817 cases.
“I think we are certainly doing much better and by tomorrow we will know. Perhaps we will have less than 5,000 cases tomorrow. I am predicting for tomorrow and hopefully we can bring it (infected cases) down to 5,000″, reported by Malay Mail.
5:31 PM: Since this afternoon, the total number of cases in Malaysia now stands at 4, 817 with 2,276 recoveries and 77 deaths.
The 77th death case is a 62-year-old, Malaysian man with pre-existing conditions that were part of the Sri Petaling cluster.
5:10 PM: Minister of Defense Ismail Sabri Bin Yaakob has officially announced the confirmation from the Prime Minister that all barbershops and optical shops nationwide will not be allowed to operate during the MCO period. This is due to Malaysians concern over the possibility of the virus to spread hence the decision has been withdrawn.
9:15 AM: Turns out, the reopening of them selected services such as barber and laundry shops will only be available in green zones. According to Malay Mail, Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi said that the reopening of such businesses and services is not meant for the whole country. The green zones consist of a district in Kedah, Kelantan, Terengganu, Perak, eight districts in Sabah and 17 in Sarawak.
The government will also be introducing standard operating procedures and protocols for these selected services.
Mon, April 13, 9 AM: It is stated that Malaysia is the fourth strictest among South-East Asian countries when it comes to the global pandemic.
The Malaysian Agro Exposition Park Serdang (MAEPS) is being turned into a quarantine and treatment centre for low-risk COVID-19 patients. From this week onwards, they will be receiving patients to the centre however we don’t know when exactly though. The centre is equipped with hospital beds, bathrooms, dressing rooms, a lounge as well as clinical services, wards, resuscitation rooms, ambulances, pharmacy, X-ray and pathology lab services.
A maximum price control scheme will be placed starting from April 15 on essential items to the end of the MCO period. According to Senior Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, the product list will be released by the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry to ensure there is no increase in prices during the MCO.
“The ministry also received a total of 8,145 complaints and queries regarding essential goods from March 18 to April 11 via four main platforms including its e-aduan system, hotline, and its enforcement command centre,” he said, reported The Star.
As for the MCO violators, the government is considering to impose higher fines, perhaps more than the stated RM1,000 since there are still many out there disobeying the rules. There were at least 392 people who got issued with compound tickets while 666 were arrested. If this prolongs, Malaysians can face higher fines and perhaps jail time as well.
Also, the Selangor government will be kickstarting a mass testing campaign for COVID-19 in the Hulu Langat district.
Health Director-General said that there are ongoing trials on the medicine tocilizumab to treat COVID-19 patients.
As of yesterday (April 12), there have been 153 new cases rounding it up to a total of 4,683 with three new deaths (76 in total) and 113 new recoveries (2,108 in total). The three new deaths had prior cases of chronic disease.
4:10 PM: Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has just officially announced that the MCO will be extended until April 28. He also updated us on the COVID-19 cases in our country, as there are 118 new cases today along with 220 recoveries within the past 24 hours.
Until the virus is out completely, we will have to continue practising social distancing, good hygiene, wear face masks when you’re out and most importantly, just stay home. Quoting what the Prime Minister said, “This is the new normal.”
2:15 PM: The live announcement by the Prime Minister will be at 4 pm today, notifying us whether the MCO will either be extended or lifted. With that said, even if the order is lifted, the Ministry of Education said that they would not reopen schools immediately. This is to ensure the safety of the students and that their health is more important than learning and examinations, reported Malaysian Gazette.
11:45 AM: Updated number of cases in our country now stands at 4,228 with 416 cases turning out to be foreigners. It consists of 53 Indonesians, 37 Indian nationals, 31 Myanmars, 29 Pakistanis and 27 Filipinos.
Fri, April 10, 10.28 AM: There are four more days until the second phase of the MCO either ends or extends, which we will only know later on the day after PM officially announces during the live press conference. Total cases up to date in the nation are 4,119 with 1,487 recoveries and 65 deaths.
Health Director-General mentioned in his statement yesterday that the fatality rate in Malaysia is at 1.58%, which in many other countries is lower than the average of 4 to 5%.
1.47 PM: There has been an increased of cars on the road and it is found that many are disobeying the MCO to visit their relatives. As The Star reported, the police will start issuing an RM1,000 compound notice to those who violate the MCO.
It is also reported that many health experts have called for the MCO to be extended for another two weeks to help contain the spread of the virus. Whereas a medical group said that the order should be extended to and beyond the Hari Raya Aidilfitri season.
Thurs, April 9, 12:51 PM: Starting on April 10 at 12 am, the government will be placing more roadblocks. Petaling Jaya is the next district and the roads that will be closing is the Penchala Link exit to Mutiara Damansara, Damansara Puchong Expressway (LDP) exit to Mutiara Damansara and Damansara Perdana, LDP exit to Jalan PJU/8 Flora Damansara, Jalan PJU7/8 exit to IKEA and Jalan PJU8/1 traffic light (Damansara Perdana/Penchala Link/Kepong interchange).”
Also as reported yesterday, the government will be announcing if the MCO will be extended or not within 72 hours (tomorrow, April 10).
5.30 PM: With face masks running out of stock, the government has announced that each household will be given four face masks for free. The distribution is currently in the process and will be transported by the Malaysia Civil Defence Force. Whereas for Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan, the distribution of face masks will be done by the Royal Malaysian Air Force (TUDM) on April 10.
Update of the number of cases in the country, there are now a total of 4, 119 cases with 1, 487 recoveries and 65 deaths.
Wed, April 8, 2 PM: The Health Director-General has revealed that a patient was discharged from the hospital after being tested negative for COVID-19 with an antibody rapid test kit. With that said, the patient’s family members were infected without knowing.
Four of them have since passed away.
Dr Noor Hisham explained that conventional laboratory RT-PCR tests and antigen rapid tests are the best to detect infections at an early stage. Whereas the antibody test kits only detect human antibodies that are only produced within eight days after getting infected.
Hence, he advises the public to not use any antibody rapid tests to check if you have been infected with the COVID-19 virus.
6:30 PM: As an update in the number of cases in our country, there have been 170 new cases making it a total of 3,963. Among those infected, the MOH has informed us that there were 69 sporadic cases and urged health officials to wear personal protective equipment.
80 people have recovered for the day with 1,321 patients being discharged from hospitals ever since the pandemic started.
Tues, April 7, 3.30 PM: Since April 3, Malaysians who are returning from overseas will be placed under mandatory quarantine. To cater to a large number of people, the government has prepared special facility centres for them including four and five-star hotels. According to Senior Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, the government will only allocate a budget of RM150 daily (RM2,100) for accommodation and food within the quarantine period. Whereas other expenses such as laundry will be under the individual itself. Malaysians who choose to stay at five-star hotels that aren’t gazetted by the government would have to bear the costs themselves.
4.30 PM: Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin unveils an economic stimulus packaged mainly for small and medium-sized enterprises that are affected badly this MCO period.
Here are the key highlights from his speech:
- The wage subsidy programme announced on 27 March will be expanded from RM5.9 billion to RM13.8 billion, an increase of RM7.9 billion.
- For companies with a workforce of more than 200 people, there will be a wage subsidy of RM600 per month for every retained worker. However, the maximum number of workers that a company is eligible to claim for will be increased from 100 to 200 employees.
- For companies with employees between 75 to 200 people, they will receive a wage subsidy of RM800 per month for every employee.
- For companies with employees of less than 75 people, they will provide a wage subsidy of RM1,200 per month per employee. Through this improvement, companies will receive more benefits and assistance.
- This assistance is for a 3-month period and is specifically for employers registered with the Companies Commission of Malaysia (SSM) or local authorities before 1 January 2020 and are registered with the Social Security Organisation (SOCSO).
- For employers opting to accept this assistance, they are required to retain their employees at least for a period of 6 months, that is 3 months during the period receiving the subsidies and 3 months thereafter.
- A Special PRIHATIN Grant amounting to RM2.1 billion will be established for eligible micro-enterprises. A grant of RM3,000 will be provided to each company, benefitting almost 700,000 micro-enterprises. The micro SMEs will have to register with LHDN to enjoy this assistance. The local authorities and SSM will provide the list of eligible micro-enterprises to Government.
- To ease the financial burden of SMEs, they will abolish the 2% interest rate to 0% under the Micro Credit Scheme amounting to RM500 million under Bank Simpanan Nasional (BSN).
- The soft loan scheme for micro-enterprises is also extended to TEKUN Nasional with a maximum loan limit of RM10,000 at 0% for each enterprise. A total of RM200 million fund will be allocated for this purpose. Applicants are given an option to choose either scheme to ensure more beneficiaries of this facility.
- Waive or provide discounts for rentals to SMEs in the retail sector which are operating on premises owned by Government-Linked Companies (GLCs).
- Owners of buildings or business spaces that provide rental reduction or waiver to tenants that consist of SMEs are given a further tax deduction which is equivalent to the amount of rental reduction for the months of April until June 2020. This further tax deduction is subject to the condition that the rental reduction is at least 30% of the original rental rate for that particular period.
- To reduce the levy on foreign workers by 25% to all companies with work permits that will expire in the period of 1 April to 31 December 2020. This reduction is not applicable to the domestic help sector.
- The Government encourages employers to actively engage with their employees on employment terms including the options of pay cuts and unpaid leave during the MCO period.
- Employers and employees may refer to the Department of Labour to seek advice on solutions for issues raised. Any negotiations should be subjected to employment laws currently being enforced.
- The Government has agreed to grant an automatic 30-day moratorium from the date of MCO ends for companies to lodge the statutory documents to SSM.
- There will be a 3-month extension will also be granted for the lodgement of financial statements for companies with financial year ended 30 September to 31 December 2019. Companies are required to apply to SSM for this extension with no fees imposed.
Mon, April 6, 10 AM: It seems like strict enforcement is actually working because the number of offenders has dropped significantly which is a good sign. On a good note as well, it may seem that Malaysia’s rank in the list of countries affected by COVID-19 is declining steadily. This just makes things promising as it clearly proves that the strict implementation of the MCO is working. We now have 3,662 cases with 1,005 recoveries and 61 deaths.
5.15 PM: To serve as a quarantine facility, the Malaysia Agro Exposition Park Serdang is almost ready. It is reported that the facility will only house patients are at low-rise (has mild symptoms or doesn’t exhibit any symptoms of the disease but is still positive).
As for our beloved students that are coming back from overseas, they will be placed under a mandatory 14-day quarantine. According to a few students via Twitter, the centre they were placed in were way beyond than what was expected. For instance, the facility in Nilai had TV, air conditioning, water heater and a study table which is pretty impressive.
However, with that said, the government advises the students to stay put in their current country of study and abide by the instructions given over there. This is to lower the risk of contracting the disease as well as spreading it to others. Regardless of that, the government clarified that although it’s advisable to stay put, the students are not banned from returning and may do say at their own risk.
For today, there has been a rise of 217 new cases bringing it a total of 3,333 cases in the country.
Also, in the second phase of the MCO, the Health Ministry will determine by the 10th day on whether if the order should be extended any further or not.
Stay at home and listen to the authorities.
Fri, April 3, 12:45 PM: It seems like more people might be arrested than actually getting infected. There has been a total of 739 people who have been arrested in Johor, as for the day before (April 2), 56 people have been remanded in just a day.
5 PM: As reported, there are 208 new COVID-19 cases bringing in a total of 3,116 cases in the country with 767 recoveries and 50 deaths.
Thurs, April 2, 12:30 PM: An update on the states of Kedah, Selangor, Terengganu, Melaka and Penang, as they have announced that the Ramadan bazaars will be cancelled this year.
At the same time, KL mayor made a statement that 510 homeless people will be temporarily sheltered at two transit centres and four community halls around Kuala Lumpur. This is to keep them safe from the COVID-19 situation.
Just as projected by the World Health Organisation, the Health Ministry will have to brace the possible chances of the cases in Malaysia to peak in mid-April.
Due to the rise of cases, the government might consider using hotels and resorts as quarantine centres. This is so that the government can ensure that there will be enough hospital beds for patients with severe symptoms.
Wed, April 1, 12:27 PM: We have officially entered the second phase of the MCO and it is sternly advised that the public should stay at home, wash their hands and always practise social distancing. During the first phase, the number of positive cases increased tremendously and occasionally plateaued as well.
To curb the spread of the virus, the government has announced that all returning Malaysians from overseas would have to undergo a 14-day quarantine and will be sent to government quarantine centres as soon as they land.
With 140 new cases reported yesterday, cases in Malaysia now stands at 2,766 with 58 new recoveries and 43 deaths. Health Director-General, Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah has reported that the highest number of cases were from these two age groups: 26-30 years old with 180 cases and 56-60 years old with 182 cases.
It is also confirmed that another residency area has been affected. The individual who was been tested positive for COVID-19 was from the PV12 Platinum Lake Condominium that’s located at Setapak. The apartment will undergo disinfection works.
As for the fate of Ramadan bazaars this year, the Health Director-General stated that it is important to take all precautionary measures to break the chain of the COVID-19 infections. But if Malaysians insist to continue, then crowd control measure would have to be implemented.
“We need to practise the current standard operating procedures and guidelines.”
Federal Territories Minister Annuar Musa also mentioned that the Ramadan bazaars would be modified beginning this year to prevent congestion at stalls, reported Free Malaysia Today.
“Just because Singapore or other parties have announced that there will be no bazaars this year does not mean we will say the same thing.”
He also said that the bazaars would not be cancelled because it is needed by the people.
“We have to think of the needs of rural folks who do not have the time to cook after returning from work,” he said.
Tues, March 31, 12:34 PM: As of now, the reported cases in total now stands at 2,626 with 479 recoveries and 2 new deaths making it 37 deaths in total.
The second phase of the MCO starts from tomorrow, April 1 until April 14 and with that, the government has implemented an 8-8 rule — shorter operating hours for businesses.
Current update on the new ceiling price for face masks will start tomorrow as well and is sold at RM1.50 per piece.
“The issue in Malaysia is that not enough masks are produced domestically, thus leading to a reliance on imports. We will review the price from time to time, and if the costs can be lowered, we will reduce the ceiling price accordingly,” Defence Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said.
At the same time, it has been reported that the authorities have confirmed 17 COVID-19 cases and have ordered a complete lockdown of Menara City One. The Defence Minister also said that the lockdown will come under the Enhanced Movement Control Order (EMCO) and it will take effect starting from today (March 31) to April 13. In order to contain the virus from spreading, all 3,200 residents in 502 residential units will not be allowed to leave the building.
Mon, March 30, 10:56 AM: So if the MCO wasn’t extended, it would be our last day of being in partial lockdown. But with that not happening, the Malaysian government has confirmed the extend to April 18.
Over the weekend, the cases increased drastically from 2,031 to 2,470 with 388 recoveries and 35 deaths.
A little spark of good news is that in contrast to the highest spike of cases in a day, yesterday (March 29) happened to be Malaysia’s highest number of (68) patients to make recovery in a day.
Meanwhile, the devastating part is 150 new cases were recorded.
Also, Malaysia is among several countries selected by the World Health Organisation (WHO) to carry out the clinical trial on the effectiveness of a drug called Remdesevir to treat Covid-19 patients. The MOH will treat the patients and monitor all side effects and its effectiveness.
12:43 PM: There are at least 11 COVID-19 red zones in Malaysia and those places are Lembah Pantai (167 cases), Petaling Jaya (167 cases), Hulu Langat (132 cases), Seremban (78 cases), Johor Bahru (68 cases), Kluang (54 cases), Gombak (53 cases), Tititwangsa (49 cases), Kota Bahru (48 cases), Hilir Perak (48 cases) and Kinta (41 cases).
11 daerah zon merah penularan jangkitan #COVID19 yang melebihi 41 kes.
Anda yang berada di daerah- daerah ini perlu meningkatkan lagi langkah-langkah percegahan terutama duduk di rumah.
Stay at home to stay safe. @DrAdhamBaba pic.twitter.com/UeunWEHhQ8
— KKMPutrajaya (@KKMPutrajaya) March 27, 2020
Whereas the areas that are classified as orange zones are Kepong (38 cases), Klang (35 cases), Batu Pahat (29 cases), Kuala Muda (28 cases), Seberang Perai (23 cases), Timur Laut (20 cases) and Rembau (20 cases).
With that said, the government will be deploying tankers and lorries to carry out a massive disinfection exercise at the red zone areas on Saturday (28th March). To help curb the spread of the coronavirus, they will be focusing on Lembah Pantai, Seputeh and Titiwangsa as well.
Fri, 27 March, 12:21 PM: There’s been another COVID-19 fatality bringing in a total of 24 deaths in the country. It was reported that the deceased had travelled to Indonesia earlier this month. The 35-year-old man was admitted to the Kuala Lumpur Hospital on March 18 however he began to develop symptoms five days prior to that.
Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said in a statement on his Facebook account today that the deceased’s health deteriorated day by day and had passed away on March 26 at 9:30 pm.
5:17 PM: The Ministry of Health had a live press conference reporting that Malaysia now has another 235 COVID-19 cases. It is said to be the highest spike (a day) in the country which brings a total of 2,031 cases altogether. Amongst those new cases, there are at least 60 people who are from the tabligh gathering.
UPDATE: Sebanyak 235 kes baru #COVID19 iaitu kes harian tertinggi menjadikan keseluruhan 2,031 setakat 12pm, 26 Mac.
60 drpd kes baru itu dari kluster perhimpunan di Seri Petaling, selebihnya dlm siasatan.
45 pesakit di ICU (32 pesakit memerlukan alat bantuan pernafasan).
— KKMPutrajaya (@KKMPutrajaya) March 26, 2020
Whereas, there are 45 patients who are currently in the ICU alongside with 32 patients who need to be on a mechanical ventilator.
1:27 PM: Currently, the total number of deaths due to the COVID-19 virus now stands at 21 in Malaysia. The deceased was a 63-year-old and was one of the attendees of the Sri Petaling tabligh gathering. He was admitted to the Sultanah Bahiyah Hospital in Alor Setar on March 23 and was reported that his condition deteriorated each day when undergoing treatment.
Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah noted that most of the COVID-19 fatalities had so far been people with pre-existing conditions.
Thurs, 26 March, 9:36 AM: With an increase of 172 new COVID-19 cases with another five deaths, the total death toll stands now at 20. Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said that the collective cases now stood at 1,796 with 199 recoveries. He also stated that there are at least another 101 cases that were still under investigation.
Three deaths were elderly men with pre-existing conditions whilst the fourth was a 68-year-old woman.
As for the 20th death, the 76-year-old COVID-19 patient died at Sultan Ismail Petra Hospital in Kuala Krai, Kelantan. It was confirmed by the Health Director-General that the deceased had attended the Sri Petaling tabligh gathering.
2:00PM: It is official, the Prime Minister has announced an extension of the original two-week Movement Control Order to 14th of April. In order for the cases to subside, it is only best to continue the movement for a longer period.
As what JP Morgan has stated yesterday, it possible that Malaysia is in the “acceleration phase” when it comes to the COVID-19 infections. And with that, it could peak by the middle of April.
In order to keep the numbers from increasing, we would like to urge everyone to remain calm and stay at home. Only leave when it is necessary, otherwise, just stay home.
Wed, 25 March 1:19 PM: Health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah has reported a 66-year-man who died from the causes of COVID-19. The man was also known to have a history of serious illnesses. When the man was admitted to Sultanah Fatimah Specialist Hospital in Muar on 20 March, he was already in a critical condition. Each day his health got worsen and sadly, he passed at 4.10am, 25 March.
Currently, Malaysia has a total of 17 deaths.
It was only seven days ago when the Malaysian government announced to implement the Movement Control Order. Although we knew how serious the pandemic was, one thing we didn’t foresee is for the numbers to rapidly increase like this. Current update on the total number of cases in Malaysia today is 1,624 with 16 deaths and 183 recovered patients.
The Ministry of Health (MOH) announced on the 23rd of March that there was a total of 212 new COVID-19 cases which makes us the country with the largest increase of cases within a day. Out of the 212 new cases though, at least 123 of them were linked to the Sri Petaling tabligh gathering.
On top of that, the death toll rises with the 11th patient to be a 70-year-old man with travel history.
The 12th patient, however, was linked to the tabligh gathering and it was also a 70-year-old man whereas the 13th patient was a 49-year-old man who was the son of a 79-year-old woman who also died of COVID-19.
The 14th patient, she was a 51-year-old woman who had close contact with a COVID-19 patient that was linked to the tabligh gathering, same goes to the 15th patient who was a 71-year-old man.
As for today, another death has been reported making it the 16th one in the country. It was a 75-year-old man who had a history of chronic illness.
Hence, with the rise of cases in our country — the government had deployed the Malaysian Armed Forces to help enforce the Movement Control Order until the 31st of March. Even with all the restricted rules, citizens are still seen roaming around without protection and care to make us wonder if it just sheer stubbornness or confusion.
With that said, we will be updating the latest news in regards to the COVID-19 cases that are happening in Malaysia.
Roadblocks are everywhere now
To keep the citizens in check, the polices have been conducting roadblocks at every nook and corner of the city. Since then, police have arrested 28 people for failing to comply with the Movement Control Order. Making sure to not get into unnecessary troubles, it is important for everyone to follow the restriction order.
Do not leave the house without any reason
Citizens are only allowed to leave home unless they have an emergency, need to buy groceries or food at restaurants for the family. Those without a valid reason can be jailed up to 6 months, fined RM1,000 or both.
One individual from each household
It is only right to have either the head of the family or a representative of the household to go out and purchase things. This is to reduce the spread of the virus as well as protecting the individuals.
Can’t travel more than 10km away from home
Even if you are craving for your favourite chicken rice which is further than 10km, it is strictly a big no-no to that. Do not overstep the boundaries that have been implemented before you find yourself in hot water.
Yes or no: Don’t have to wear masks unless you have the COVID-19 symptoms
As per the guidelines of the Health Ministry, it is stated that only frontliners and those with the COVID-19 symptoms are ordered to wear masks. With precautions, citizens may wear it however social distancing is more than enough to avoid getting infected for now.
Citizens are given an option to withdraw from EPF
Malaysia’s Prime Minister has announced that citizens can now withdraw out RM500 from their Employee Provident Fund (EPF) to survive the global pandemic that is currently happening. Malaysians aged from 55 and below are allowed to withdraw from their EPF Account Two.
Don’t have to renew road tax or licence
Those with an expired license or road tax can still drive, but with the exemptions of having their insurance cover note with them.
PDRM is offering 50% off the summons
There will be a five-day campaign from the 25th of March for citizens to settle their summons online through MyEG or RILEK. Road users are given 50% off certain traffic offences.
Pictures by Malay Mail & The Star