The CMCO Is Like Playing Russian Roulette

(NST) – An undated photograph (see above) circulating this morning of a crowd at a wet market, supposedly on Penang island, was enough to give anyone the creeps about what could lie ahead once the Movement Control Order was lifted.

The photo showed scores of people walking very close to each other, albeit with face masks on. No sense of social distancing was apparent and the photograph and the crowd in it could have easily passed off as a pre-Chinese New Year market outing.

Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow this afternoon announced that the state would not be introducing a conditional MCO (CMCO) for now, but will only do so after May 8.

Penang now joins the ranks of Kedah, Negeri Sembilan, Selangor, Sabah and Sarawak in not implementing the CMCO tomorrow.

Chow has taken a bold and perhaps unpopular risk by making this announcement in the name of public health while working at restoring economic and medical health to the state.

The twin pillars of the state’s economy are based on the two ‘T’s of technology (manufacturing sector) and tourism.

The authorities are mindful of the announcements in recent weeks since the MCO was implemented, that jobs in both the manufacturing and hospitality sectors have been affected. This has been seen in the closure of more than a handful of hotels and several factories.

Many businesses in Penang have already begun preparing this weekend for the re-opening of their offices and premises tomorrow, via a sanitisation exercise and putting into place, measures for social distancing.

The announcement this afternoon is understandably a letdown for them.

Others who were waiting for better visibility in terms of government policies and also for health figures to improve have decided to continue their work-from-home policies and operate on a fifty per cent production and headcount basis (this refers to companies which had previously obtained permits from the Ministry of International Trade and Industry to operate).

Apart from two Covid-19 cases on mainland Penang who had been tested positive, the state has remained relatively a “green zone” for the past two weeks.

What Chow has done in buying a little time for businesses to resume operations on May 8, is simply to take take a leaf from the book of the Health Director-General Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah.

“Come May 4 many of you will be heading back to work,” Dr Noor Hisham had said in a message which has gone viral.

“However, you must take this time to plan and do what is necessary to comply with your respective sector’s Standard Operating Procedure and abide by the new norms in the workplace.

“The first week back should be used to strategise, plan and implement these new changes and not necessarily for you to resume the services.”

From a logical stand, Chow’s position makes sense.

The CMCO is the right way to go if we can be convinced that Penangites and other Malaysians will not abuse the “freedom” which comes with it.

The cynical and sad question being asked now, however, is do we have sufficient faith in our fellow Malaysians to be responsible enough?

The federal and state governments are the parties providing the overall regulatory and enforcement environments.

Perhaps the individual companies should decide if they are at ease or otherwise in resuming their operations and allowing their staff back to work.

It is sincerely hoped that politics is not the reason behind the move to “defy” the CMCO and that legitimate health concerns continue to rule the day.

And for those planning to regroup for outdoor sports, durian parties and market outings in Penang, a few more days of waiting will do no harm.

Dr Noor Hisham’s pill for the current ills is perhaps the best form of “medicine” we can continue to swallow at this time.

“Let us help each other to make sure our loved ones, especially those who are vulnerable are safe. Let us keep Malaysia safe. Let’s emerge victorious at the end of this war against an invisible enemy. If you have no reason to go out please, stay safe and stay at home.”