Govt May Make The Wearing Of Face Masks Compulsory, Decision To Be Announced Soon

With new clusters appearing in East Malaysia and Peninsular Malaysia, the government is considering making the use of face masks in public places compulsory.

Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said in a press conference on 20 July that the final decision will be made and announced soon. He also expressed concern over the new clusters surfacing in the country and reminded all Malaysians to continue to adhere to the standard operating procedures set by the government.

“In this phase of the Rehabilitation Movement Control Order or PKPP, every individual, family and community is frontline workers or frontliners,” he said.

“Parents must always remind their children to always wear face masks when leaving the house. Remind them to take care of social distancing, always wash their hands, avoid crowded places, do not shake hands and so on.”

Muhyiddin Yassin also noted that just because Covid-19 cases are declining, it doesn’t mean that we no longer have to wear face masks in public places.

“The practice of the new normal habits must continue,” he said, adding that the battle with the Covid-19 pandemic is far from over.

“I always advise all Malaysians to avoid shaking hands, but I see now that there are those who not only shake hands but also hug when meeting friends and relatives.”

“Yes, it is good to strengthen friendship and brotherhood, but let us not forget that we are still in the recovery phase of Covid-19”

“These practices are good in terms of social interaction, but they are very bad in terms of our efforts to protect ourselves.”

This is definitely not the time to relax as we are not out of the woods yet. Please wear your face masks and practise social distancing when you’re out in public.

Also read: What Is ‘Caution Fatigue’ & Could It Be The Cause Of The New Clusters in Malaysia?