PETALING JAYA (May 21): The Malaysian Institute of Architects (PAM) is advocating a nationwide movement control order (MCO) to curb the current Covid-19 spike, and proposed a few business survival measures.
PAM president Datuk Ezumi Harzani said in a press release: “PAM believes a full MCO similar to MCO 1.0 for a specific period is necessary to break the chain and to curb the wave driven by more infectious Covid-19 variants. Under the current pressing pandemic situation when public health and safety are at its most critical, drastic measures need to be taken to avert a crisis that could affect our national security.”
He added: “We are reaching a tipping point where health and safety take precedence over others. Partial Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) is not effective to reduce the rise of Covid-19 cases, instead, its uncertainty only makes it more challenging to plan and execute our works in an effective manner.”
Ezumi said: “PAM is equally concerned with the continuous challenges suffered by businesses and employers who are affected by the MCO. In fighting Covid-19, the public and private sector have to work hand in hand to preserve jobs and ensure businesses survival for long-term job security instead of one-off subsidy to individuals."
In such circumstance, PAM proposed the implementation of MCO with the following measures:
According to PAM, subsequent to the MCO, selected economic sectors with low risk business activities may gradually resume while others may need to remain with a combination of remote and on-site working for a longer period.
“We anticipate that a full MCO coupled with expedient vaccination rollout will be able to curb the spread of Covid-19 and enable us to begin the transition toward normalcy and herd immunity," said Ezumi.