Photos Of Empty Streets In Taiping Under EMCO Looks Like First Days Of MCO 1.0

Empty streets in Taiping, Perak

We can all most likely recall the first days of the Movement Control Order (MCO) back in March 2020. It even led to some pretty stunning shots of KL looking like a ghost town as most of us stayed at home.

Recently, several areas in Perak were placed under the Enhanced MCO from 22nd May to 4th June 2021, including Taiping. While this round of EMCO sees less strict SOPs, with individuals still able to run essential errands, photos showing empty locales and streets in Taiping look just like scenes during the first MCO.

Taiping residents staying at home,

On 22nd May, Taiping Municipal Council took to their Facebook page to share several drone photos of what streets looked like on the first day of the EMCO there.

Image credit: Majlis Perbandaran Taiping

The town is currently under the EMCO, with most businesses closed.

But SOPs are less strict than previous EMCOs announced in 2020, which did not allow residents to leave their homes even for groceries. Barbed wires were also set up then to block anyone from leaving or entering certain areas.

The current SOPs for EMCO in Perak districts allow one person from each household to head out to shop for essentials. Everyone is also asked to stay at home once the clock strikes 10PM, as reported by The Star on 22nd May.

Likewise, all non-essential services are closed, but more businesses are listed as essentials this time round, including animal clinics, pet shops, sundries, kindergartens and daycare centres. Wholesale and public markets are permitted to operate too.

Image credit: Majlis Perbandaran Taiping

Despite initial reports of panic buying in Perak towns before the EMCO was enforced, empty streets and restaurants recently photographed show Malaysians there trying their best to stay put and help stop the spread of COVID-19 in their communities.

According to another report from The Star yesterday, 24th May, compliance rate with SOPs in Perak was at an impressive 94%.

Image credit: Majlis Perbandaran Taiping

In an update on Facebook on the 3rd day of the EMCO yesterday, 24th May, several photos taken by Taiping Municipal Council around 8PM showed similarly empty streets.

Image credit: Majlis Perbandaran Taiping

Likewise, Facebook user Diana Yeoh also had a collection of photos of empty locales in Ipoh under the EMCO. She said the SOPs there was like a mash-up of guidelines from MCO 1.0, 2.0 and 3.0.

In the lengthy caption attached to the photos, she reported that there were more businesses allowed to operate in comparison to the first round of MCO, but there were few to no customers.

Concubine Lane, a well-known tourist street, is deserted.
Image credit: Diana Yeoh

Taiping sees empty streets during the EMCO

It’s no doubt been difficult for many Malaysians who have to go through another round of staying at home in areas affected by the EMCO. Nonetheless, we applaud those in Taiping and others in Perak right now who have been following through with guidelines to keep themselves and their loved ones safe from COVID-19 during this difficult time.