KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia has a holistic plan to fight the Covid-19 pandemic.
Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said the National Security Council (NSC) and the Health Ministry today presented their strategic plans for implementation during the second phase of the Movement Control Order (MCO 2.0), which has been extended to Feb 18.
The ministry, he said, outlined a five-point strategic plan to break the chain of transmission of Covid-19, reduce morbidity and death, strengthen diagnostics and surveillance, achieve herd immunity and increase awareness of the culture of new norms.
The Senior Defence Minister said the NSC's 10-point strategic plan includes strengthening enforcement by initiating legal action through the Emergency Ordinance, monitoring standard operating procedures (SOP) at workplaces, forming a task force to manage workers' accommodation, conducting aggressive Covid-19 testing and carrying out the national Covid-19 immunisation programme.
"We do have a comprehensive strategic plan from the aspects of health and non-health. More details will be announced by the ministry soon," he said during a press conference today.
Ismail Sabri said the NSC would also look into requests by various business sectors to be allowed to operate during the MC0.
He assured business operators that their applications would not be rejected.
"The NSC is looking through these applications and will call for a technical meeting with the Health Ministry and related ministries and agencies. After a risk assessment by the ministry, followed by an approval by the NSC, an approval will be given.
"We are aware that many have applied to resume businesses, such as car wash centres, barbers, saloons and a lot more. We will study (the applications) and obtain the ministry's views. If risk assessment permits it (a business to open), we will do so," he said.