KUCHING: A recent increase in locally transmitted Covid-19 cases nationwide has sparked concerns from members of the public.
It also caught the attention of Putrajaya with Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin saying the government could reimpose the movement control order (MCO) and call for a lockdown if Malaysians were lax on observing the new norms.
New Sarawak Tribune yesterday interviewed people for their thoughts on whether a second lockdown in view of the soaring positive Covid-19 cases was necessary.
There were mixed reactions from the respondents; some agreed to the implementation while others pointed out that it was unnecessary, stressing that the economic state of the country should be put first.
Amir Amizill, 25, quantity surveyor
‘It’s a no for me because lockdown or not, the second wave of Covid-19 will still be there. It will only hurt our economy more and we need to learn to live with the virus until a vaccine is found.’
Shane Noel, 22, salesman
“I disagree with the idea of imposing another lockdown even with the increasing cases of patients contracting the virus. If another lockdown is imposed, the country will suffer economically and more people would have to stop working.’
Mohammad Along, 22, delivery rider
‘A second lockdown may best to curb the spread of Covid-19. It is a dangerous virus and can easily be contracted. I am also concerned about the people whose businesses are their only sources of income. We need to follow the SOPs that the government set for us to ensure our own safety and other as well.’
Jennifer Kawas, 29, nurse
‘Yes, a second lockdown should be imposed because of the increasing Covid-19 cases recently. There’s a huge possibility of asymptomatic infected persons still walking around and spreading the virus to other people.’
Sharon Hou Wan, 26, student
‘The government should not impose a second lockdown to protect our economy and the well-being of Malaysians who depend on daily wages. There are other alternatives that we can adopt. As citizens, we must follow the SOPs.’
Jerome Japok, 27, retailer
“Yes, the lockdown should be implemented again due to the rising number of positive Covid-19 cases. There is a possibility of an economic recession but safety always comes first. There should be better strategies to detect people with symptoms of Covid-19.”
Audrey Jane, 27, personal assistant
‘Yes, there should be a second lockdown if the Covid-19 cases increase. Prevention is better than a cure. The second lockdown will not be as difficult as the first as everyone already know what to do.’
Christy Emylia, 25, engineer
‘It is not necessary to implement a second lockdown because it will be very bad for the economy. We should continue to abide by the SOPs and take good care of ourselves.’
