GEORGE TOWN: Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow has called on the people of Penang to accept Putrajaya's decision to implement nationwide Movement Control Order (MCO) ahead of Hari Raya Aidilfitri tomorrow.
"The Penang government understands the sensitivity involved and hopes the people will look at the positive side of the implementation of the MCO and compliance with the standard operating procedure (SOP) put in place.
"There is wisdom to the SOP put in place and I believe that this heavy decision is needed to guarantee better public health for the people and the state," he said in his Hari Raya message today.
Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin had announced a nationwide MCO beginning today until June 7.
He had said, in taking into account the rise in daily Covid-19 cases, the government decided to take stricter measures to curb the infection among the public.
Chow also reminded the people to practice the highest level of selfcare to prevent the Covid-19 pandemic from worsening and keep the virus at bay.
He said the efforts taken by all quarters to battle against the pandemic have bridged the divide and indirectly strengthened the spirit of unity, prosperity and racial harmony that is already established in the state.
It was reported yesterday that the intensive care unit (ICU) bed usage in Covid-19 hospitals in Penang was now at 100 per cent while the non-ICU bed usage had breached 70 per cent.
This was due to the increase in positive Covid-19 cases statewide in week 18 (between May 2 and May 8), whereby a total of 1,682 cases were reported.