GGRAsia – Malaysia extends national Covid lockdown indefinitely

Malaysia extends national Covid lockdown indefinitely

Jun 29, 2021 Newsdesk Latest News, Rest of Asia, Top of the deck

Malaysia has extended its nationwide lockdown, via so-called movement control orders (MCO), beyond June 28, as a countermeasure against the spread of Covid-19 infection in the country, reported state news agency Bernama, citing Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin.

The Resorts World Genting casino complex – the sole casino resort in Malaysia – temporarily closed its casino from May 24, until further notice, because of a movement control order. The property’s promoter subsequently announced on May 31 that the whole of the Resorts World Genting complex was to be temporarily shut, a decision that followed “the government’s announcement on the national total lockdown”.

The movement control orders will stay until Malaysia’s daily-infection tally falls below 4,000, the nation’s Prime Minister said, as cited by Bernama on Sunday.

The country’s Senior Minister for Defence, Ismail Sabri Yaakob, also stated that the current phase of the movement control orders would remain until the country achieved three things. They were, respectively, that the number of daily Covid-19 cases drops to below 4,000; the rate of bed usage in intensive care units is at a “moderate” level; and 10 percent of the country’s population has received two doses of Covid-19 vaccine, Bernama reported citing the minister.

In May, a nationwide movement control order was reintroduced in Malaysia amid a surge in Covid-19 infections. At that time, cross-district and interstate travel was banned, as well as social, sports and educational activities. Further restrictions on economic and social activity were announced on May 21 as the country’s community-based Covid-19 infection cases continued to rise.

As of 10am on June 29, Malaysia had recorded 5,218 newly-confirmed Covid-19 cases in 24 hours. That took the country’s cumulative confirmed cases to 739,266, Bernama reported. So far, only 6.33 percent of Malaysia’s population has been fully vaccinated, added Bernama.