KUCHING: The federal government’s decision to lift the limit on number of people at functions provided there is social distancing has received mixed views from members of the public.
A survey by New Sarawak Tribune yesterday discovered that many disagreed with the initiative, noting that it was a rushed decision and was prematurely implemented.
Some also believed that it could lead to an increase of Covid-19 cases due to complacency by the public in view of the leniency shown by the government.
Emily Rachel, 25, planning executive
“I disagree on the initiative. Covid-19 is still spreading and some cases are asymptomatic which means there is high possibility of silent spreaders. We would not be able to spot the cause of infection if too many people are involved, and it will only make it worse for the medical professionals to treat the infected.”
Nur Azman Junaini, 27, financial advisor
“I totally disagree with the initiative. It’s a bold and risky decision made by the government. The number of people attending any functions should be limited to prevent spreading of Covid-19 as well as to ease the process of contact tracing should there be any new positive cases. I believe it should be implemented in later stages.”
Syaza Arshad, 33, contract staff
“To me, the move seems to be quite risky as we are still unable to break the chain of Covid-19. It would be best to continue and limit the number of guests in functions and continue to enforce social distancing and wearing face masks. Precautionary measures are crucial in the current situation.”
Hazel Voon, 24, freelance artist
“I agree with the initiative because I do believe that everything should be done in stages. Sooner or later, everything has to be open and available to the public again as we continue living with this new norm. However, setting a limited guest list for a particular event is vital as there are still active cases. It also helps people to practice social distancing better.”
Karuna Shohei, 24, journalist
“I disagree with the initiative as we, in Malaysia and Sarawak in particular, is not free from Covid-19 yet. The virus has a high risk of spreading in congested places especially when there are asymptomatic patients. It could also lead the people to become complacent upon seeing the leniency of the rules.”
Alif Luqman Isa, 26, freelancer
“I don’t think the country is ready for the implementation of this initiative. The people are not ready to bear the discipline needed to ensure that social distancing is practised at all times. With this implementation, I hope that the government would enforce social distancing amongst all attendees at all functions to ensure it can be implemented smoothly.”
