PM Muhyiddin Extends RMCO Till 31 December 2020
Keep practising physical distancing for four more months.
By Sadho Ram — 28 Aug 2020, 08:22 PM
Tonight, 28 August, Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin announced an extension of the Recovery Movement Control Order (RMCO)
In his special televised speech tonight, the Prime Minister said that the RMCO, which was scheduled to expire on Monday, 31 August, will be extended till the end of this year.
"With the extension of the RMCO, enforcement action under the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988 or Act 342 can still be taken," he said.
"This is to ensure that all parties comply with guidelines and health protocols set."
The Ministry of Health (MOH) had previously urged the Prime Minister and the National Security Council (NSC) to extend the RCMO
Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba had told New Straits Times that the ministry believes the RMCO should be implemented until the situation is truly under control.
He added that the recommendation follows the World Health Organization's (WHO) forecast that the COVID-19 outbreak may last for at least two years.
In his speech, Muhyiddin said that while COVID-19 has been contained in Malaysia, the same is not true for other countries
He also said that the government is considering to increase compound fines for flouting the standard operating procedures (SOPs). However, the government is working to reduce the prices of face masks.
He emphasised that nobody is above the law and that he supports MOH's proposal to increase the compound for breaking COVID-19 SOPs.
"However, the matter must be scrutinised first, with the appropriate amendments made to the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988 beforehand," Muhyiddin said.
Previously, MOH proposed that the fine for flouting the COVID-19 SOPs be raised from RM1,000 to RM10,000.
"The Act was drafted in 1988. RM1,000 was probably reasonable then, but now we need to review that," Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said during a dialogue titled 'COVID-19: Malaysia's Journey towards Flattening the Curve' at the Malaysian Healthcare Conference 2020 on Tuesday, 25 August.
"We hope it can be pushed up to RM10,000. However, that is up to the parliamentarians to decide."
