Sin Chew Daily

The numbers of daily new COVID-19 cases have remained relatively low since we have successfully flattened the curve.

As a consequence, the government has implemented the recovery movement control order (RMCO) that will last through end of August, allowing more business sectors to reopen for business while schools reopen in stages. Malaysians begin to enjoy life they were once familiar with while the economy has been recovering pretty well.

Majority of people have offered their cooperation during this period by strictly adhering to the SOPs, with good hopes that the zero local case target could be achieved.

Unfortunately a handful of irresponsible individuals have defied the SOPs. As a result, we have seen the emergence of 13 new infection clusters since July 7. The outbreak is set to deteriorate if it is not put under control.

Prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin reminded Malaysians to comply with the SOPs and not to take the virus easily, in a nationally televised speech.

A lot of countries in the world have successfully contained the coronavirus outbreaks within their boundaries, but soon after they opened up their economies again, they saw a rebound in new infections and had no choice but to tighten their lockdown policies again.

The situation remains challenging in the United States and Brazil, while Japan, South Korea and Hong Kong have seen a drastic increase in new cases. This shows that the virus is indeed far from being over and we simply cannot afford to be any more complacent.

It is not hard to see that Malaysians have grown lax and even numb about fighting the dreaded virus. SOPs are no longer strictly enforced in many retail shops and eateries in town, and the risk of new infection clusters such as the one at a Brickfields restaurant will be significantly enhanced.

On top of that, it is an established truth that the coronavirus is particularly dangerous to senior citizens and people suffering from severe chronic illnesses. The emergence of a new cluster at an old folks' home in Kluang is indeed alarming. The management of the old folks' home must look into this very seriously while the authorities must closely inspect all establishments nationwide to ensure cleanliness and hygiene in a bid to stop any cluster in such homes.

Returning Malaysians also belong to the high risk group. Although they are required to undergo home quarantine upon arriving in the country, some have ignored the SOPs, including a woman home quarantine dining out at a restaurant in Perak. Such an irresponsible action will invariably increase the risk of a new wave of infections.

Yesterday, the government announced that all returning Malaysians will be put in government quarantine centers and have to bear the cost of quarantine. Such a measure is necessary to effectively prevent imported coronavirus cases from being spread to the local community.

Many local businesses were shuttered and unemployment spiked during the MCO. Fortunately the government provided financial assistance to Malaysians as well as companies to help them through the trying times while kickstarting the economic recovery.

If the outbreak deteriorates and MCO is re-enacted, all our past efforts will have to go down to the drain.

No one wants the government to implement the MCO again or tighten the remarkably relaxed restrictions. Nevertheless, if we continue to ignore the SOPs, the government may have to enforce the wearing of face masks in the public and more strictly enforce the law in order to deal with stubborn people and businesses.

Even though we don't want to go back to the MCO days, we may have to force ourselves to accept the reality so long as we continue to report new local positive cases in the country.

We hope that all Malaysians will understand that the country cannot afford to see the next wave of coronavirus infections. We need to take cue from the experiences in some other countries. We cannot solely depend on government measures. We all must have the determination and resolution to fight the battle until it is won.