The question arises: What will happen to the workers, come Wednesday?

CORONAVIRUS | The two-week movement control order announced by the government last night to reduce the spread of Covid-19 has raised questions as to how this would impact the workforce.

The order, which is to take effect tomorrow, will see all non-essential government and private venues shut down, meaning most offices will be closed.

"What happens to the income of traders and the salaries of workers, will it be covered by the government?" former finance minister Lim Guan Eng asked on Facebook last night.

Some workers in the private sector that Malaysiakini spoke to last night said their companies have instructed them to work from home.

But not all jobs allow for such flexibility.

Already, the spread of Covid-19 has taken a toll on tourism and airline workers, with many forced to go on unpaid leave.

The government said it would pay RM600 per month for six months to those on unpaid leave earning less than RM4,000 per month.

However, when this was announced, the government only budgeted RM120 million for this to cover about 33,000 workers.

It is not clear whether the government will expand this package to those affected by the movement control order, or if that would be financially feasible.

Former women and family development minister Hannah Yeoh (above) also expressed to Malaysiakini concerns about how the movement control order would impact those who earn a daily wage.

Besides shutting down non-essential offices, the movement control order also prohibits Malaysians from leaving the country.

This order could significantly impact Malaysians who work in Singapore. Lim estimates that these people make up 300,000 workers.

Johor's Parit Yaani assemblyperson Aminolhuda Hassan said the government needs to give a detailed explanation on this.

"Has the government discussed this with the Singapore authorities?" he asked when contacted.

Johor Menteri Besar Hasni Mohammad told Malaysiakini that he will be discussing this to find the best solution for Johoreans.

Singapore Trade and Industry Minister Chan Chun Sing (above) said affected businesses may have to activate their backup business continuity plans.

"Businesses that employ Malaysian workers who commute between Singapore and Malaysia daily may have to activate their business continuity plans.

"If they need assistance, they should contact our economic agencies who stand ready to assist," Chan said in a Facebook post last night.

He added that Singapore will be in touch with Putrajaya and that their priority was to ensure that Singaporeans and businesses can continue with their lives and livelihoods.

The National Security Council is expected to answer many of these questions later today and will have a hotline active, starting at 12pm.

The movement control order is effective from tomorrow, Wednesday, March 18, to March 31.

This comes after Covid-19 cases in the country began to spike, with 553 cases reported yesterday.

The essential services that will continue to operate during the control order are water, electricity, energy, telecommunications, postal services, transport, maritime, fuel, gas, lubricants, broadcast, financial services, banking, healthcare, pharmacies, fire and rescue, prisons, ports, airports, security, defence, cleaning and supplying of food. - Mkini