NOW that the conditional movement control order (CMCO) extended until November 9 in Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya, elected representatives in these areas have urged government agencies to show better coordination in enforcing the rules to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

Balakong assemblyman Wong Siew Ki urged the government to avoid unnecessary panic by making its public information clear and to think through its announcements before making them.

“Just announcing an extension without guidelines confuses people, especially if the guidelines keep changing each time there is a public complaint,” Wong said.

There should also be no double standards when dealing with those who violate the standard operating procedures (SOP) for disease control.

“Some people ignore the SOPs because they see the country’s leaders are not setting an example.”

Lembah Pantai MP Fahmi Fadzil agreed policy details must be thoroughly vetted before they are announced.

The policies should be presented to the public the same time day the CMCO or its extension is announced, he said.

“If you announce the CMCO today, but the policies are issued the next day, this causes confusion among people.”

One example was the recent work-from-home directive for managerial and supervisory staff. The government said other workers were allowed to work on site and that the cost of Covid-19 tests, which were required, would be borne by Socso if employers contributed to the fund.

Fahmi said employers had allocated hundreds of thousands of ringgit for their employees to undergo Covid-19 screening thinking that the directive meant their workers had to take another test after a previous one when movement restrictions were eased in June.

Following complaints, the government said tests were not required.

Fahmi said the authorities could also do better at advocacy work at the grassroots level, such as teaching people how to deal with a confirmed infection in the residential areas. 

The PKR rep said he was receiving queries from neighbourhood committees in his constituency on what they should do in such situations,

“When there is a positive case, they will ask, what do we do? I suggested that they notify all the joint management agencies in their area.

“Some places know (how to deal with it), but some don’t. At least let them understand how to deal with the pandemic once it is discovered in the community.

“Many parents have also asked if they send their children to school. No one has received clarity yet,” said Fahmi.

Rawang assemblyman Chua Wei Kiat believedf the government is not strict enough in enforcing the SOPs, which are meant to encourage people to stay at home unless they have essential business outside.

“There are still many who go out and the traffic is still high.”

For recovery to take place in the shortest time, he said the authorities should be stricter about the rules,

Yesterday, Senior Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said the CMCO needed to be extended for the Klang Valley as the risk of infection remained.

The CMCO for Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya was to have ended today after two weeks.

However, the number of new Covid-19 cases in the Klang Valley have stayed in the high hundreds.

Health Ministry data also shows that all districts in Selangor have reported new cases in the last 14 days.

The infection rate in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur yesterday was respectively 1.3 and 1.2. The Health Ministry aims to achieve a rate below 1. – October 27, 2020.