Janet in Community News On May 20, 2021, 1:22 pm

Selangor Says No To Full MCO, Cites Mental Health & Loss Of Income Among M’sians As Top Concerns

Selangor open to, but hesitant about full MCO

Earlier this week, Malaysians were in a scramble when they got news of the possible return of “MCO 1.0” in Selangor. Because there is a lot of worry among Selangor residents that they would have to relive the first days of the pandemic again, 2 state health officials have come out to say that they would prefer to not have a full MCO in the state this time round.

However, Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari has also stated that the Selangor government will not reject a full MCO if the situation calls for it. But he expressed concerns about Malaysians’ mental and economic welfare if a full MCO has to be enforced.

M’sians’ welfare at stake with full MCO

On 18th May 2021, the Health Ministry shared that the rise in COVID-19 cases and emergence of variants have led to discussions about a possible full MCO in Selangor.

In response, 2 Selangor state health officials shared their concerns about its return, and the effects it will have on the economy and the livelihoods of Malaysians.

Selangor Health, Welfare, Women Empowerment and Family executive council Dr Siti Mariah Mahmud stated that a targeted MCO was needed instead, as quoted by Bernama. COVID-19 tests and vaccinations must also be ramped up.

Selangor COVID-19 Task Force Chairman Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad shared similar opinions on the subject. In a report on Malay Mail on 19th May, he also defended the high number of daily cases that Selangor has been recording, saying that COVID-19 infections in the state is not as bad as it seems compared to other states such as Pahang and Kedah based on infectivity rates.

The reason why Selangor has been recording the most daily cases nationwide is because of its large population and workforce.

As of yesterday, 19th May, ICU beds for COVID-19 patients reached almost 90% capacity in Klang Valley, as reported by The Star.
Image credit: KEMENTERIAN KESIHATAN MALAYSIA

Yesterday, Amirudin gave his views on the matter too, saying that the Selangor government was open to, but not keen on a full MCO in the state. Issues that would affect Malaysians, such as mental health and loss of income, needed to be taken into account in the decision, as reported by Bernama on 19th May.

Likewise, he also called for more COVID-19 tests and vaccinations as part of follow-up measures to be carried out if a full MCO was implemented. Nonetheless, all final decisions will be up to the Federal government and MKN, and Selangor will comply with whatever measures carried out.

A meeting will be held with the National Security Council (MKN) and Federal government today, 20th May, and tomorrow, to discuss this matter.

Netizens share their thoughts on a possible total lockdown

Not all Malaysians are against the idea of a full MCO, however.

Many have been taking to their social media platforms to share their thoughts on the matter, particularly Twitter where “MCO 1.0” and “total lockdown” have been trending in the past week.

This tweet, with over 24K retweets and 23K likes, said, “Sorry if I sound selfish, but to be honest, I’d agree for a total lockdown just like we [had] during March 2020. This MCO and EMCO don’t seem to work.”

Image credit: Twitter

However, there were others who were opposed to a total lockdown too.

One tweeted, “Why are you talking about lockdown as if it is some kind of extra holiday where you sit at home and make Dalgona? Lives are literally destroyed every time we [have a] lockdown. How many [people have] lost their homes and jobs, and now owe money because their businesses cannot continue? Have some empathy la.”

Image credit: Twitter

In response to the above tweet, a netizen said, “[I] don’t think people who are asking for [the lockdown] are all coming from a place of privilege. Yes, it’s a terrible option affecting lives, but people are choosing their perception of the ‘lesser of two evils’ here. Either suffer from deaths and [a] collapsing healthcare system, or suffer from MCO – which of course brings the burden of mental and economic problems to families and more. It’s so sad that it has reached this either/or situation for the people. True, empathy has to be there for everyone. Including the frontliners and those with infected family members and loved ones.”

Image credit: Twitter

Decision on full MCO in Selangor still uncertain

Those in Selangor have been holding onto the edge of their seats after news of a possible implementation of a full MCO started circulating on the Internet. Concerns both for and against it are valid, especially with COVID-19 daily cases in Malaysia hitting a record-high yesterday and many suffering great losses from the pandemic.

But for now, we can only wait until discussions are held over the matter, and hope that the government comes up with the best solution for Malaysians struggling during this pandemic.