ALTHOUGH there would be no curfew imposed during the first phase of the total lockdown lasting two weeks, people are advised to be at home after 8pm in the fight to break the Covid-19 spread, said Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
The senior minister said no economic sectors are allowed to operate beyond 8pm, save for selected essential services such as hospitals, clinics and medical laboratories.
“When all business activities close at 8pm, we expect the public to be home by 8pm, even if there is no curfew implemented.
“I hope people do not go out after 8pm because there are no business activities after 8pm,” the defence minister said at a joint press conference with the Health Director-General Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah in Putrajaya today.
The government implemented a full closure of the social and economic sectors or phase one of a total lockdown across the country for 14 days, starting June 1.
Although people are allowed to jog and exercise in open areas while maintaining a physical distance of at least 2m, Ismail Sabri said these activities are permissible only until 8pm.
He said said he believes closing most industries and manufacturing sectors, which would limit and restrict movement, would be an effective strategy to flatten the Covid-19 curve.
He said this could be achieved with 80% of government staff and 40% of the private sector working from home.
“In terms of employees, 40% will work from home for the private sector and manufacturing, while only 20% of government employees will work in the office.
“Our goal is to reduce movement. So (with this), we reduce movement from 15 million people to 1.5 million people,” he said.
Ismail Sabri reiterated that the standard operating procedure that he announced and which is list at the National Security Council’s website is applicable to all states in the country. – May 30, 2021.
Comments