There may be some reasonableness to allow businesses to operate and life to be normalized in Districts, where there have been no new infections for the past 14 days, after the last Covid-19 patient have been discharged from hospital PROVIDED there are no movement of people into this District from other places, and no movement out.
Remember that when Malaysians were brought back from Indonesia, the number of them who were infected were significant - despite all measures taken to ensure that they were not infected.
Now, PM Muhyiddin's government has just allowed movement of 'students' and others to travel back home - there will be a massive movement of people from infected areas, across infected areas to some of these 'green' areas - Is there a risk? YES, there might be. Remember, one tabligh event resulted in the transmission of Covid all over Malaysia, and even to some other countries.
How infectious is Covid-19 - Well, one of the clusters was from people who attended a wedding - and how long were they there, a few minutes maybe ...but most likely less than an hour, and the number of infected were significant?
Then, recently, this Muhyiddin-led PN government started arresting and detaining hundreds of undocumented migrants - well, it was already difficult to get these undocumented migrants to come forward for testing and treatment, but then with the government 'assurances', they came forward - now, this 'crackdown' may result in their 'hiding' again for fear of arrest and detention > Such 'crackdowns' could have all been delayed after we had overcome the Covid-19 threat - again, this may be a big fumble by our PM Muhyiddin.
The prison community and those in the detention centers would have been Covid-19 free > but when you add in new detainees to these lock-ups, prisons, immigration detention centres, etc > does it not increase the RISK of infections? And, what happens if our already overcrowded prisons and detention centers get infected > What will Malaysia do? Note what is already happening in other countries even the US... If prisons are infected, will Malaysia release inmates like what is happening in Philippines? Will Malaysia delay release of people who have served their sentences?
The threat to the 2.3 million-strong US prison population was seen last week in the death of Andrea Circle Bear, a 30-year-old native American woman from South Dakota. Pregnant when she was placed in a Texas federal prison in March on drug charges, she soon became sick with the disease and was placed on a ventilator, and gave birth by C-section. She remained on the ventilator and died weeks later.
MANILA: Nearly 10,000 prison inmates have been released in the Philippines as the country races to halt Covid-19 (coronavirus) infections in its overcrowded jails, a Supreme Court official said on Saturday (May 2) .- Star, 2/5/2020
Many have raised the RISK of arresting and detaining MCO violators ...and now these 'crackdown' on undocumented migrants is another worry. How many became undocumented by reason of the MCO when employers failed OR refused to renew their work permits, I wonder.
Now, Muhyiddin and Azmin, wants businesses to start operating ...but there is still no REGULATIONS in place for workplaces, save for the SOP and Guidelines for the Construction Sector. Singapore too have legally enforceable workplace regulations > The PM, Azmin and HR Minister Saravanan should have at least made sure these REGULATIONs were in place before allowing business to operate?
Exemptions were given to some business since we were under MCO, and many did not provide 'essential services' as listed in applicable MCO regulations. No public disclosure of the names of these business. Hope MACC and police will also investigate that there were no 'abuse of power', no corruption or kleptocracy involved? Have we even heard from the Minister of Home Affairs who is responsible for police, MACC, etc?
Interesting that some State Governments are openly refusing to listen to Muhyiddin and Azmin's decision to allow businesses to operate > so far, I have seen Sarawak, Sabah and even Pahang..
Pahang is maintaining the status quo on the movement control order (MCO) for now. Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail (pic) said although the state government supported the Prime Minister's announcement on the conditional MCO, the details still had to be worked out specifically for Pahang. "The Pahang government has to study and fine-tune it to match the current state of the Covid-19 outbreak in Pahang. "This will be discussed further in the state security working committee's weekly meeting on Friday, May 8," he said in a statement on Sunday (May 3).
So, now openly, some State governments are refusing to follow Muhyiddin and Azmin, and it also includes Perikatan Nasional state governments ...Good, at least these State leaders are concerned about the health and well-being of the people in their State > and have chosen to disobey Muhyiddin and Azmin?
Malaysia do not have democratically elected by the people Local Government - if we did, then many of these Local Councils, having the peoples' best interest at heart, would have also refused to remove the existing MCO restrictions as announced by Muhyiddin and Azmin?
Anyway, will Muhyiddin and Azmin resign if their decision to relax the MCO restrictions results in more infections and death of people?
Azmin, sadly has been seen to be concerned more about the businesses and 'economy' - not so much about the people - their health and safety. Now, he is also suggesting 'automation' which directly will result in loss of employment and income for the ordinary workers.
Azmin Ali and Muhyiddin Yassin, may most likely not be re-elected as Members of Parliament at the next elections after all that had happened, following their betrayal of the Pakatan Harapan government...The only reason why many would have voted for Azmin would have been because he was a PH candidate at the last general elections, and from PKR. So does he and/or any other MPs that jumped parties even have the majority support of the constituents is doubtful...
Now, focus is also on State governments, their State government appointed Local Councils > What will they do? Follow PM Muhyiddin and his Cabinets' decision or will they make up their own mind for the good of the people of their own States?
After all, whether any business can operate in any state or any area covered by the local government(Local Council) is ultimately the decision of the State government and/or local government(the local councils). The Prime Minister and Cabinet ultimately will have total control only with regard Federal Territories, for after all the Mayor and the Local council of FTs are chosen and appointed by the PM and the Federal government.
MCO: Malaysia reopening economy to ensure stability, competitiveness
KUALA
LUMPUR: The move to allow nearly all sectors of the economy to resume
operations from Monday onwards is to ensure that the nation's industries
remain sustainable and competitive.
International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin
Ali said the reopening of the country will stimulate the economy and its
sustainability, as well as guarantee the people's wellbeing, which was
affected by the outbreak of Covid-19.
He said the decision was made after taking into account Malaysia's
success in controlling the outbreak of the pandemic; the six benchmarks
set by the World Health Organisation (WHO) to reopen an economy
post-lockdown; and the advice of Chinese medical experts.
Azmin said if the government does not take such a step, the country's national income would decline.
"Our economic growth would stagnate, while businesses and
individuals' income would be affected, with many businesses having to
close down.
"Thus, the decision to allow almost all sectors of the economy to
operate is expected to have a positive impact on the country's economic
growth and its income as well as the employment sector," he said in a
statement today.
Azmin said the government is hopeful that with the reopening,
business communities, especially small and medium-sized enterprises
(SMEs), could revitalise their business operations, strengthen cash
flows, rebuild supply chains and address the risk of losing their export
markets.
Referring to a speech delivered by Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin
Yassin on Friday, Azmin said Malaysia could lose up to RM98 billion,
should the Movement Control Order (MCO) continue to be implemented.
"The export value reduction involving the manufacturing sector alone
is estimated to be RM32 billion for every two weeks of the MCO," he
said.
Azmin stressed that success after reopening the nation's economy
depends on backing from various parties, namely the private sector,
industry associations, and business councils.
He said the business communities must also adapt to 'new normal'
practices and focus on employees' protection, particularly aspects which
involve their health, hygiene, and safety.
"Employers and employees are also encouraged to download MySejahtera and MyTrace applications for contact tracing purposes."
In his statement, Azmin called on all companies to adhere to the
standard operating procedures that have been outlined for them, or they
may see legal action taken against them or an Enhanced Movement Control
Order imposed on them, in the event of new Covid-19 cases emerging.
He added that companies should also focus on automation and technology.
"They should reduce reliance on labour, as well as accelerate the
digitalisation process to reduce human contact at their premises.
"Digitalisation is no longer an option, but a necessity to ensure the sustainability of the business in the long-term." - New Straits Times, 2/5/2020
Covid-19 is sweeping through world’s largest prison population
WASHINGTON: A massive wave of coronavirus infections is blasting
through the world’s largest prison population in the United States even
as officials begin opening up their economies, saying the disease has
plateaued.
One prison in Marion, Ohio has become the most intensely infected
institution across the country, with more than 80% of its nearly 2,500
inmates, and 175 staff on top of that, testing positive for Covid-19.
Coronavirus deaths are on the increase in jails and penitentiaries
across the country, with officials having few options – they are unable
to force adequate distancing in crowded cells and facing shortages of
medical personnel and personal protective gear everywhere.
The threat to the 2.3 million-strong US prison population
was seen last week in the death of Andrea Circle Bear, a 30-year-old
native American woman from South Dakota.
Pregnant when she was placed in a Texas federal prison in March on
drug charges, she soon became sick with the disease and was placed on a
ventilator, and gave birth by C-section.
She remained on the ventilator and died weeks later.
Time bomb
Riots over inadequate protection and slow responses by prison
authorities have already taken place in prisons in Washington state and
Kansas.
Covid-19 outbreaks among prison officers meanwhile have made the institutions even harder to manage.
At the understaffed, undersupplied Lansing Correctional
Facility in Kansas on Thursday, 15-year prison guard David Carter
resigned, saying it was better to go without pay than risk his health
and that of his family.
“I can no longer be associated with a facility that is a ticking time bomb,” he said in a resignation letter.
Low priority
The Marion prison outbreak is believed only the tip of the iceberg.
Because of the hodge-podge of prison management – federal, state, and
local authorities have their own, and many are run by for-profit
private companies – testing and reporting has been haphazard.
Covid Prison Data, a group of university criminal justice and data
experts, says that based on public reports, 13,436 inmates and 5,312
corrections staff nationwide have tested positive for coronavirus.
But many states, and the federal penitentiary system, have done only a
small amount of testing. Five of the 50 states don’t even report data.
Prisons occupied eight spaces on The New York Times’ compilation of
the top 10 infected institutions, with the Marion Correctional
Institution at the top.
The reasons are clear: prison populations are denser and harder to
separate than nursing homes and cruise ships, two institutions hit
hardest by the disease.
They also operate at lower levels of hygiene, and a large number of inmates have preexisting conditions.
And, until now, they have been low priority for officials battling the pandemic.
No option to close prisons
Numbers released this past week show the depth of the problem.
The federal Bureau of Prisons, which has 152,000 inmates and 36,000
staff, found outbreaks in more than half of its 122 facilities.
Less than 3,000 tests have been administered, however, with 1,842
prisoners and 343 staff testing positive, and 36 inmate deaths.
On Thursday alone the bureau reported three deaths at the
low-security Terminal Island prison near Los Angeles, where some 60% of
the roughly 1,050 inmate population has registered positive.
Bureau of Prisons Director Michael Carvajal complained of a shortage
of testing supplies, and said that quarantining remains difficult.
“We don’t have the option to close our doors, or pick who or when someone is sent to our custody,” he said on Wednesday.
It’s hell
The situation is even less clear in state prisons, which have the bulk of the country’s inmate population.
Some states like Ohio are now moving quickly with testing and are releasing data. Others are doing little.
One indicator of the potential extent: CoreCivic, a private company
which operates dozens of prisons nationwide, tested all the 2,725
inmates and staff at its Trousdale Turner facility in Tennessee, and
found 1,299 inmates and 50 staff positive, nearly all without symptoms.
Prison advocacy groups say that little has been done at the state and
federal level to release prisoners who are non-violent or whose terms
were near completion, which could lessen their danger of infection and
create more space in the facilities.
Out of more than 10,000 in Kansas prisons, “Only six inmates have been released. Six,” said public defender Heather Cessna.
Brian Miller, an officer at the Marion prison, warned this week that the situation would only worsen.
Miller – struggling to speak as he recovers from his own coronavirus
bout – told a conference call that, with so many out sick, they do not
have enough staff to clean the facility and manage the inmates.
The prisons are only offering hazard pay of an extra US$1.85 an hour – “less than Starbucks”, he noted
“Things are beyond breaking point at this facility,” he said. “Right now it’s hell.”.- FMT, 3/5/2020
No conditional MCO in Pahang, for now
Nation
Sunday, 03 May 2020 1:45 PM MYT
By ONG HAN SEAN
KUANTAN: Pahang is maintaining the status quo on the movement control order (MCO) for now.
Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail (pic) said although the state government supported the Prime Minister's announcement on the conditional MCO, the details still had to be worked out specifically for Pahang.
"The Pahang government has to study and fine-tune it to match the current state of the Covid-19 outbreak in Pahang.
"This will be discussed further in the state security working committee's weekly meeting on Friday, May 8," he said in a statement on Sunday (May 3).
No conditional MCO in Pahang, for now
Nation
Sunday, 03 May 2020 1:45 PM MYT
By ONG HAN SEAN
KUANTAN: Pahang is maintaining the status quo on the movement control order (MCO) for now.
Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail (pic) said although the state government supported the Prime Minister's announcement on the conditional MCO, the details still had to be worked out specifically for Pahang.
"The Pahang government has to study and fine-tune it to match the current state of the Covid-19 outbreak in Pahang.
"This will be discussed further in the state security working committee's weekly meeting on Friday, May 8," he said in a statement on Sunday (May 3).
"As we all know, the state of Pahang is now facing the emergence of a new cluster. Therefore, special attention and priority must be given to addressing it.
"As such, the Pahang government is refining the conditional MCO's implementation measures so that opening up any sector will not cause a new outbreak," he said.
Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin announced on Friday (May 1) that the conditional MCO would start from May 4 and certain business sectors would be allowed to operate from May 4. - Star, 3/5/2020
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