Don’t Malaysians realise the cost of patrolling the streets to enforce the order could be better used for urgent medical supplies, says JD Lovrenciear. The poor attitude of Malaysians in the wake of the movement control order to monitor the streets. When we have to deploy 8,600 cops to keep advising stubborn Malaysians to stay home, it speaks volumes about a society that has absorbed negative values. Despite the prime minister appealing five times to Malaysians to “just stay home, please” in his second national address, people still choose to blatantly flout the movement control order. Do we realise this is a national (and global) crisis that is placing acute stress on the healthcare system and its personnel and the economy. Above all, our lives are at stake. Support the struggle to build a New Malaysia based on Justice, Freedom, Solidarity: Sign up for Aliran's free daily email updates or weekly newsletters or both Make a one-off donation to Persatuan Aliran Kesedaran Negara, CIMB a/c 8004240948 Schedule an auto donation to Aliran every month or every quarter Become an Aliran member Must Malaysians face sterner action like a military presence and arrest-on-sight orders before they cooperate in these times of grave danger? Do we not realise that the cost of patrolling the streets to enforce the order could be better used by the government to pay for urgent medical supplies? Something is seriously wrong with us Malaysians. Is it ignorance? But that is hard to believe. With almost every Malaysian in possession of a mobile phone and many heavily using social media, surely everyone knows that a movement control order demands that we take personal and collective responsibility. As the police comb the streets for flouters, some small and medium-sized operators in shop lots across the country could be still operating with shutters pulled down to cover their act. READ MORE: Human vulnerability and lessons In some cases, greed and the fear of losing business opportunities have taken precedence over social and individual responsibility to safeguard society and nation. Do we realise that as the number of coronavirus victims keeps rising (900 cases now), our healthcare providers and the over 8,000 police personnel are being exposed to great risk? Malaysians need to be taught in no uncertain terms that social responsibility cannot be taken for granted or dismissed lightly.

Don’t Malaysians realise the cost of patrolling the streets to enforce the order could be better used for urgent medical supplies, says JD Lovrenciear.

The poor attitude of Malaysians in the wake of the movement control order to monitor the streets.

When we have to deploy 8,600 cops to keep advising stubborn Malaysians to stay home, it speaks volumes about a society that has absorbed negative values.

Despite the prime minister appealing five times to Malaysians to “just stay home, please” in his second national address, people still choose to blatantly flout the movement control order.

Do we realise this is a national (and global) crisis that is placing acute stress on the healthcare system and its personnel and the economy. Above all, our lives are at stake.

Must Malaysians face sterner action like a military presence and arrest-on-sight orders before they cooperate in these times of grave danger?

Do we not realise that the cost of patrolling the streets to enforce the order could be better used by the government to pay for urgent medical supplies?

Something is seriously wrong with us Malaysians. Is it ignorance?

But that is hard to believe. With almost every Malaysian in possession of a mobile phone and many heavily using social media, surely everyone knows that a movement control order demands that we take personal and collective responsibility.

As the police comb the streets for flouters, some small and medium-sized operators in shop lots across the country could be still operating with shutters pulled down to cover their act.

In some cases, greed and the fear of losing business opportunities have taken precedence over social and individual responsibility to safeguard society and nation.

Do we realise that as the number of coronavirus victims keeps rising (900 cases now), our healthcare providers and the over 8,000 police personnel are being exposed to great risk?

Malaysians need to be taught in no uncertain terms that social responsibility cannot be taken for granted or dismissed lightly. - ALIRAN