With the re-implementation of the movement control order on Wednesday, families are bracing for the likelihood of an extension and anticipating that they may not be able to 'balik kampung' for Chinese New Year.
8:30 PM MYT
They re back: Police roadblocks to enforce the inter-state and inter-district travel bands during the MCO. Photo: The Star/Azhar Mahfof
Retail marketing executive Effendi Elias, 27, from Kuala Lumpur, is dismayed that the movement control order will be reinstated but feels that it’s something that is unavoidable and for the best.
“After being able to move around fairly freely for so many months since the recovery MCO last year, it’s difficult to be restricted to a 10km radius from home again and not being able to go out together with my housemates, ” he says.
At 6pm this evening, Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin announced that the MCO will be implemented in six states – Penang, Selangor, Federal Territory (Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and Labuan), Melaka, Johor and Sabah – which have a critical number of cases, for 14 days from Wednesday Jan 13 (12.01am) to Tuesday Jan 26. Interstate and inter district movement has also been prohibited.