Over 330,000 sign petition against easing MCO restrictions

Hundreds of thousands of people have signed an online petition against the government easing restrictions imposed by the movement control order.

As of writing, more than 330,000 people have signed the petition on Change.org calling for the new conditional MCO to be cancelled.

The conditional MCO takes effect on from Monday and will allow most businesses to open up, including restaurants, and daycare centres. Certain outdoor exercises will also be allowed.

All activities under the conditional MCO, however, are subject to social distancing measures.

The petition pleads with the government not to repeat other countries' mistake, a reference to a resurgence of cases in some countries after lockdown measures were eased prematurely.

"We don't want our frontliners to be more tired. We don't want the government to bow to capitalists who only care about profits without thinking about social health and workers' wellbeing," it added.

The petition was launched yesterday.

One of the petition signers who goes by Lisa Mariana Md Sallehuddin, said she did not want a third wave of Covid-19 infections.

"I am a nurse and I work so hard with my team to fight Covid-19. I don't want my country to face a third wave.

"Even though I can't celebrate Hari Raya Aidilfitri, but it's ok! A healthier life is more important for me," she wrote.

Health Ministry director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah has defended the conditional MCO saying there is a need to balance life and livelihood.

He said the MCO was meant to only flatten the curve of infections, and not eliminate it.

Further, he said it was the public's responsibility to abide by social distancing measures to ensure there are no more new infections. - Mkini