by NUR HANANI AZMAN / pic by MUHD AMIN NAHARUL

THE government should implement a different approach to save lives and livelihoods, as the prolonged lockdown could only work in reverse on both matters.

SME Association of Malaysia national VP Chin Chee Seong said targeted lockdown, if necessary, should be accompanied with clear standard operating procedures (SOPs) without conflicts between state and federal authorities.

“Companies are facing difficulties to survive in these difficult times and with such a situation, the EMCO (Enhanced Movement Control Order) should be lifted as soon as possible.

“Those allowed to operate are now required to conduct rapid antigen testing twice weekly for every worker, which is a big cost to them. Most of them choose to close operations temporarily,” he told The Malaysian Reserve (TMR).

Nearly all of Selangor has been put under EMCO from July 3 until July 16. The only district spared is Sabak Bernam.

The government is expected to announce soon whether the EMCO will continue upon its expiry this week. However, Selangor continued to report above 4,000 cases recently.

Bumiputera Retailers Organisation president Datuk Wira Ameer Ali Mydin said Selangor needs to adopt the approach that Kuala Lumpur has been using, which confines the lockdown to buildings and districts and not the entire state.

“We have to remember that it is MCO, not purchase control order. We don’t understand how the government defines essential and non-essential business that can be operated in retail stores.

“Economic activity needs to go on because the current government is unable to fund enough subsidies for everybody to survive, which is proven by the increasing of white flag campaign,” he told The Malaysian Reserve (TMR).

However, economist Assoc Prof Dr Baharom Abdul Hamid suggested the EMCO be strengthened, enforced strictly for 14 days and not a half-baked EMCO with more and more factories or industries being allowed to operate.

“The numbers are frightening, hospitals are facing a crisis, both space and personnel, we are in dire straits, it’s chaotic, it’s an unwanted perfect storm of health crisis and economic crisis made worse by political crisis.

“Steady the political ship, stabilise the executives, increase vaccination, widen coverage of vaccination with special focus on most vulnerable and affected states or areas like the Klang Valley,” he told TMR.

“Executives need to come together as a team, improve coordination so that the impact is maximised and act before it’s too late,” he said.

Parti Pejuang Tanahair head of research Akhramsyah Sanusi said the government should be transparent and realistic in its Covid strategy.

“The Covid-19 National Recovery Plan should have the flexibility for change, but the aim should be for it to be robust enough to retain around 80% of its key elements barring catastrophic changes unforeseen during planning.”

The plan, Akhramsyah said, should reflect upon the successes and failures of other countries as well.

“We are not alone and as we now face our own struggles, there are many others we can learn from. Just drawing on the experiences of New Zealand, Thailand, Korea, Taiwan and many others, much can be learned to strengthen our strategy,” he added.