From today until October 27, Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, and Putrajaya will be subjected to a Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO).

When a Movement Control Order (MCO) was first imposed 6 months ago on March 18, this nationwide lockdown saw the frantic exodus of countless Malaysians from Klang Valley back to their home states the night before.

Needless to say, this caused major traffic jams on roads and highways as Malaysians tried to beat the clock before state borders closed. Understandably, this large movement of people interstate also caused concerns that Covid-19 could then spread more widely to other states.

Two days ago, Khoo Poay Tiong, MP for Kota Melaka urged the public to refrain from travelling back to their home states before the CMCO started except for urgent or unavoidable matters. But for those who had to make the trip back anyway, he encouraged them to voluntarily quarantine themselves at home for 14 days.

Explaining that caution was necessary to prevent the situation from worsening, he emphasized the need for all Malaysians to have a sense of collective responsibility in fighting against Covid-19.

This article was written based on Khoo Poay Tiong’s press statement dated 12th October.