WITH Sabah numbers appearing to be under control, we now have to deal with a spike in Covid-19 cases in the Klang Valley.

The 460 cases from one cluster in a single day in Kuala Lumpur recently shows the speed and reach of the virus, and the dangers of ignoring SOPs and public health advice.

Just the day before, it was reported that 400 foreign workers unaccounted for from a suspected Covid-19 hotspot in Sepang had gone missing, with only 21 found the next day.

What is puzzling is how they managed to leave the workplace and scuttle before the authorities managed to bring the place under quarantine lockdown – if they did.

This is in stark contrast to the early days of the first movement control-order (MCO) when a similar situation arose in an apartment complex near Dang Wangi, and was quickly brought under control.

With multiple workers’ hostel and workplace-related clusters this time around, this is an area we cannot afford to ignore. SOPs for these scenarios served us well before, and there should be little hesitation to use them again.

Many things do not add up with the present conditional MCO enforced in most states in the peninsula and Sabah.

For starters, there is no uniform approach, with some areas being under lockdown at the first sign of an outbreak, while others are not, despite many cases being reported in the same vicinity.

Employers need to be held accountable, not only for the well-being and safety of their workers, but for the community as well.

Neither is there much clarity on how an area is given its designated colour code. The indicator used the first time around – 40 cases – seems to have been breached virtually everywhere in the Klang Valley. This method, too, does not seem to take into account population density, whether it is a residential or commercial area, and the size of the district or city.

Perhaps a formula akin to a proportional election system – with severity of an area given weightage based on the density and access to healthcare – could be used instead, and made transparent to the public.

Rules should also be based on logic or scientific evidence and not subject to whims and fancies, or worse, political or business populism.

Shifting goalposts like revolving doors on the number of people who can go grocery shopping, opening hours and passengers per car, and whether or not cinemas or gyms can remain open does not make much sense when they all are breathing in the same recycled air from the same air-conditioning system.

Instead, perhaps the focus should be encouraging good air circulation systems, standardising the use of masks and other protective gear, strictly enforcing social-distancing rules, ensuring exposed parties are quarantined and so on.

Responses to outbreaks should be organised, measured and proportionate.

Instead of using code words for clusters, perhaps the locations of the clusters could be properly explained, along with steps taken to mitigate them.

For example, if hotspot location is shared with the public, allow them to do their shopping and commercial business elsewhere, reducing the risk and stigma in other areas. After the severity in that area has abated and the cluster closed, surely the footfall will return. This is better than the present daily guessing game.

Sharing that information and allowing the local authorities and state governments to help arrange and mitigate issues is a boon and not a problem, especially when everyone claims to want to put politics aside.

The localised focus will lessen the burden on central agencies and likely give much needed local geographical and social perspective into handling crowd flow. Local representatives can then manage their electorate better, as we all have a common goal to flatten the curve.

Malaysians are roundly rational and united, especially when facing national crises. Perhaps it is time for those in charge to stop experimenting and take into consideration that every (mis)step messes with people’s lives and livelihoods as well.

Steps need to be logical, consistent, coordinated and communicated without personal, political or other interests getting in the way. 

The only things that should matter are public health and economic survival, especially with the worrying numbers – both infection rates and economic hardship – that need to improve, and soon. – November 18, 2020.

* Emmanuel Joseph firmly believes that Klang is the best place on Earth, and that motivated people can do far more good than any leader with motive.