THE conditional movement control order (CMCO) imposed in Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and Sabah comes at a price.
Just as we are beginning to see a slight change in fortune with the domestic economy picking up, we are faced with another two weeks of movement control order in these places.
The closing of 298 schools in Petaling Jaya, Shah Alam and Subang Jaya was an indicator of the severity of the problem at hand.
Even before Senior Minister (Defence) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s announcement at 4pm yesterday, traffic had started to ease on several main roads in the Klang Valley.
With lower footfall at malls in the Klang Valley recently due to the detection of positive Covid-19 cases, retail businesses started to see a dip in earnings again.
But after having endured six months of slowdown, there is an air of optimism among economists. They are confident we can weather this third wave and regain our footing again.
The global economy too has recovered faster and better than the gloomy projections we had.
We must remember that the economy can only recover with a strong combined effort from the public, private sector and the government to flatten the curve.
This second round of movement control order (MCO) at the commercial heart of the country in the Klang Valley is a sacrifice that we all must make together.
There should be no exceptions for any one, regardless of their stature in society. The virus cannot spread by itself, it needs the human vector. And it doesn’t discriminate like we do.
Instead of heading back to the villages and risk spreading the virus to families and friends at home, stay and work here.
Neither is there a need to rush to the supermarket to stock up on essentials. As we have learned from the first round of MCO in March, the supply of essentials, including toilet paper, is more than enough for everyone.
We have to be mindful of the need for social distancing especially at a time when the number of new cases continues to rise.
Rushing to the supermarket and crowding the aisles, making social distancing impossible, is the last thing we should do.
Staying put - away from the kampung, away from the shopping mall - is a small sacrifice that we have to make together.
