553 confirmed cases. That was Malaysia’s tally on the night of Monday, March 16, 2020, when Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin went on television and told the country it would shut down in two days.
The movement control order ran from Wednesday, March 18, to March 31. Muhyiddin said it was being imposed under the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988 and the Police Act 1967, and he did not dress it up. “Drastic action needs to be taken,” he said, to avoid new infections that would reach more people.
What closed
Every business premises had to close except supermarkets and grocery stores selling daily essentials. Government and private offices shut as well, apart from essential services such as utilities, telecommunications, transport, banking, health, pharmacies, ports, airports, cleaning and food supply. Childcare centres, schools of every kind, tahfiz centres, universities and vocational colleges closed nationwide.
Malaysians were banned from travelling abroad, and no tourists or foreigners could enter. Citizens returning from overseas had to quarantine themselves for 14 days.
The numbers behind the decision
The Health Ministry reported 125 new infections that Monday, 95 of them linked to a single cluster: a religious gathering at Kuala Lumpur’s Jamek Sri Petaling Mosque from February 27 to March 1. Of the 553 total, 42 people had already recovered and been discharged.
Muhyiddin said the government knew the order would bring hardship. But he pointed to what was happening elsewhere. “We have seen how drastic the cases have increased in so many countries and we don’t want the same thing to happen here.” He asked people to stay calm, promised enough food, daily needs and face masks for everyone, and said the National Security Council would meet under his chairmanship every day.
Day one
By the evening of March 18 the count had climbed to 790, after 117 new cases by noon; 60 patients had recovered. The prime minister was back on air that night with a plainer message, “Just stay at home.”
The reason for the second address was visible on the roads. The day before, he said, many Malaysians had tried to head home to their villages, crowding highways north, south and east, and bus stations were packed with people trying to make the traditional balik kampung trip. “If you are in Kuala Lumpur, stay in Kuala Lumpur. Those in Johor Bahru, stay in Johor Bahru. Those in Penang, stay in Penang,” he said. He asked for just two weeks, and warned that if containment failed the order might have to be extended.
Sources
- PM: Malaysia under movement control order from Wed until March 31, all shops closed except for essential services – Malay Mail
- Just stay home, Muhyiddin appeals to Malaysians – EdgeProp.my (theedgemarkets.com)
