From tomorrow, Malaysia goes into full lockdown in an try to flatten the curve of Covid-19 infections throughout the country. PM Muhyiddin Yassin had been resisting calls for a lockdown, saying he was attempting to steadiness public health wants with financial restoration.
However, even some companies within the country’s tourism sector have been pushing for more durable measures. Just Price break before the PM announced the lockdown, the Malaysian Hotels Association called for all social and economic activities to be stopped for a 2-week interval, with CEO Yap Lip Seng saying a long-term plan was wanted to deliver the crisis under control.
“The tourism and lodge business is of the opinion that the federal government needs to implement stricter and more practical measures such as a total lockdown to manage the spread as quickly as attainable.”
However, not all companies within the tourism sector agree with the necessity for a total lockdown, with Nigel Wong from the Malaysian Association of Tour & Travel Agents saying there’s a must steadiness saving lives with saving livelihoods.
“Striking a steadiness between saving lives and saving livelihoods is crucial to ensure that the nation to proceed its journey of recovery. The tourism sector remains to be a good distance off from recovery and gained’t totally begin the restoration process until borders, both home and international, are reopened. MATTA has been calling for the federal government to give you a tourism restoration roadmap. Of course, nobody can foretell the future. Still, such a tenet will help the trade make strategic plans and preparations and align their restoration efforts to that of the federal government.”
The total lockdown comes because the country set a grim record of over 8,000 new cases reported on Friday. A full “Phase 1” lockdown of social and economic sectors is now being applied till June 14. Only important providers are permitted to function throughout this time, with the situation being reviewed in 2 weeks..