MCO Phase 4 - May the 4th be with you

Today is not only Star Wars Day, but also marks the start of the ambiguous CMCO (Conditional MCO) as declared by the Malaysian authorities.

Starting off on a lighter note, Star Wars Day was coined as a result of "May the 4th" sounding very much like the common phrase most spoken by Jedi and non-Jedi alike in the Star Wars Universe. It's the equivalent of "Live Long and Prosper" which is most spoken by Vulcan and non-Vulcan alike in the the Star Trek Universe.... Let's not get started on the Star Wars vs Star Trek thing! Star Wars Day was first celebrated officially in 2011 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada at the Toronto Underground Cinema. Why in Canada and not US? Go figure....

Now, back to more pressing matters. As we are midway through the 4th phase of the Movement Control Order (or rather, the 3rd extension), due to immense pressure coming from businesses and certain quarters to "cut some slack" and open up the country one again.

There are two main driving factors behind this:
1) Economic pressure: Loss of income from businesses and employment
2) Health consciousness: Interesting how many people get caught flaunting the MCO by jogging, playing golf, badminton, etc.. Who says Malaysians do not care about health and exercise...?

Hence, in a "damned if you do, damned if you don't" situation, the Federal Government has generally initiated a Conditional MCO with some relaxed conditions from today onwards. With this, there are certain relaxations, such as the number of passengers in a car, and the allowance to go out for non-contact sports. However, Ramadan Bazaars and balik kampung (going back to home town to celebrate Hari Raya) are strictly forbidden.

Now, generally, businesses are allowed to restart, not requiring approval, but subject to certain conditions. This includes spacing out of tables and registration of dine-in customers for restaurants. Air con repairs and plumbers do not need MITI approval. To its credit, the Majlis Keselamatan Negara (National Security Council) has published official SOP's (Standard Operating Procedures) on it's official website, which you can find over here. SOP's for 26 ministries (including Petronas and the NSC itself) are listed, along with the date of update.

The local governments on the other hand (remember, Malaysia has 13 states (Negeri) and 3 federal territories (Wilayah Persekutuan - Kuala Lumpur, Labuan and Putrajaya), have each their own interpretations of what can and cannot be done. Hence, you should check carefully with your local authorities before leaving the safe confines of your home.

Well, the entire nation is now divided into two camps - one looking forward to restarting ASAP, and another preferring to err on the side of caution. After all, symptoms of Covid-19 only appear after ~14 days, and its still possible for asymptomatic patients to exist (carriers who themselves show no signs of infection). With the number of daily cases in the double to low tripled digit figures, the decision to open up the country now could go either way. What's your opinion? In any case, let's hope for the best, and May the 4th be with you!