Reps call for revision to two per household rule, question logic

 

Elected representatives are calling for a revision to the conditional movement control order (MCO) rule concerning the movement of people from the same household.

In particular, are the rules prohibiting more than two persons from the same household to leave at the same time for food and allowing only two persons to ride in the same vehicle at any one time.

Bukit Gasing assemblyperson R Rajiv questioned the government's logic in prohibiting more than two people from the same household to leave while allowing up to four people from different households to eat together.

He asked if the government thought that contact with people from other households is safer than from within the same household.

"Can you brain that (sic)? How is this helping to fight Covid-19. The National Security Council (NSC) keeps getting sillier in their Standard Operating Procedure," he said on Facebook.

4 people from different households can makan together in a restaurant. But only 2 from the same house? Because you're...

Posted by Rajiv Rishyakaran on Thursday, 12 November 2020

Meanwhile, Segambut MP Hannah Yeoh urged the government to allow more than two people from the same family to travel together.

Yeoh said single parents are facing challenges under the existing rules.

"NSC, please review your standard operating procedure for two persons in a car. Many single parents cannot be leaving kids alone at home," she said.

She added that family members should be allowed to be in the same vehicle.

After Yeoh made the call on Twitter, several netizens also shared their problems with the two-person rule with her.

"My mother is 83 years old. When I take her to the clinic or hospital, I drop her at the entrance because she is weak. I need someone to be with her while I find a parking space. So, each time there would be three persons in the car. Now how?" said Fatimah Musa.

Another netizen Dean Syahzrain said he is faced with the choice of leaving his child at home while sending his wife for a check-up.

"This is what I am facing at the moment when I need to send my wife to see a gynaecologist at the hospital.

"Afraid I might get a summons, my choice is to leave them at home for a while, send my wife to the hospital and come home. When my wife is finished, I leave them again," he said.

However, another netizen JK Chahil said exemption could be made if an application is made to the nearest police station.

She said permission is only granted for three days adding that it is a "hassle indeed". - Mkini