Academy of Professors Malaysia: ‘Focused protection’ and ‘targeted approach’ the way to go

A prolonged conditional MCO will have negative effects on the public. — LIM BENG TATT/The Star

On Nov 7, 2020, Senior Defence Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob announced that all but three states (Perlis, Pahang, Kelantan) in Malaysia would be placed under a conditional movement control order for four weeks from Nov 9 to Dec 6, 2020.

Following this announcement several professional bodies and individuals voiced their opinions, pointing out that since incidence rates are high in some areas and not in others, a more targeted approach to the conditional MCO should be implemented instead. They also highlighted the need to continue emphasising the need to comply with SOPs as “pandemic fatigue” sets in among Malaysians, now into our ninth month of various levels of MCOs.