PRIME Minister Muhyiddin Yassin has justified Putrajaya’s decision to impose conditional movement-control order (CMCO) in Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya by saying it has to be done before the situation gets worse. 

According to Muhyiddin, it is a pre-emptive and proactive action which will not affect economic activities.

The people and businesses may be better prepared now. But they are also waiting for a particular proactive measure to reduce the impact of the pandemic.

And that is the Temporary Measures For Reducing The Impact of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (Covid-19) Bill 2020 which has been passed by Dewan Rakyat on August 25 and the Dewan Negara on September 22.

Unfortunately the bill is yet the law because it has to be presented to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong for his majesty’s assent under Article 66(4) of the federal constitution, following which it has to be gazetted to have the force of law.

The bill is long on title, and was already long-delayed when it was introduced in the Dewan Rakyat after the full second session was adjourned to July 13. Similar Covid-19 legislation in other jurisdictions has long been passed to provide for legislative measures to deal with the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic. For example, neighbouring Singapore passed the Covid-19 (Temporary Measures) Act 2020 as early as April 7.

Come this weekend, it will be seven months since the country went into pandemic lockdown. The pandemic is in fact well into its third wave, with another record-high of daily new cases.

So, when will the Covid-19 bill become law?

Isn’t the bill intended to reduce the impacts of Covid-19? – October 14, 2020.

* Hafiz Hassan reads The Malaysian Insight.

* This is the opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insight. Article may be edited for brevity and clarity.