KUALA LUMPUR, May 20 – With COVID-19 cases increasing to 6,075 cases today, what is everyone’s view if the government declares a full Movement Control Order (MCO) similar to MCO 1.0, asked Youth Chief Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki.

In his FB posting, he underlined seven prerequisites of the full MCO.

1. All sectors to close instead of being selectives like now. Large factories were allowed to operate despite the fact that they were the biggest contributors to the pandemic while small traders and hawkers such as bazaars were pressured to close operations.

2. PKP also means that the government needs to consider special assistance to the people and affected sectors due to the fact that the majority of self-employed lost their jobs, even worse than MCO 1.0.

3. The government should use the power under the Emergency Ordinance to urge banking and financial institutions to offer a moratorium for at least another three months to ease the burden of the people.

4. There should be no more double standards in enforcement or compliance with standard operating procedures (SOP) and MCO that led to a perception that there is a difference between ‘celebrities’ and ‘the commoners’.

5. It is better to sacrifice in a short period by closing down economic sectors that have proven to be a contributor to the spread of the epidemic rather than having to suffer continuously under the adverse impact of a ‘half-baked’ MCO.

6. We are concerns of the economic downturn if ‘Total Lockdown’ is enforced but tackling the pandemic is even more urgent. There are times when we cannot expect to achieve two things at one time.

7. It is better for us to prioritize tackling Covid-19 rather than imposing ‘half-baked’ MCO that makes life more difficult in the long run.