KUALA LUMPUR, April 2 — Malaysians can now return to almost-normal life after the country entered the transition to endemic phase yesterday which also saw more restrictions eased.
The ‘independence’ enjoyed today came after the people were forced to limit their activities due to the implementation of the Movement Control Order (MCO) which came into force on March 18, 2020.
The cooperation of the people in complying with the standard operating procedures (SOP) set by the government and the National COVID-19 Immunisation Programme’s (PICK) success have enabled the country’s transition to endemic phase.
The success was also achieved through the leadership of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob who managed to help Malaysia deal with the surge in COVID-19 cases and solve the political crisis plaguing the country.
Although Ismail Sabri is not the UMNO president, he managed to gain the trust of 114 members of Parliament to be appointed as the ninth prime minister, with the hope that he would put an end to the country’s political polemic as well as steer the nation out of the COVID-19 pandemic and revive its economy.
Apart from his success in uniting the people through the Keluarga Malaysia (Malaysian Family) concept, Ismail Sabri also invited the leadership of opposition parties to join in the country’s recovery efforts.
The prime minister had also come up with the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Transformation and Political Stability to ensure the smooth running of the country’s administration and the people’s welfare remain protected.
The signing of the Mou between the government and Pakatan Harapan on Sept 13, 2021 saw the formation of a bipartisan cooperation that not only focused on the country’s recovery but also the passing of several important policies.
After seven months of leading the nation, Ismail Sabri’s leadership was evident when the country achieved political stability and its economy recorded a positive growth.
With the success implementation of PICK as well as the political stability achieved, Ismail Sabri announced that the country will go through an exit strategy and a temporary phase before fully entering the endemic phase, subject to the announcement by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
This has enable the people to enjoy relaxation in restrictions with the implementation of a set of SOP and nine guidelines that had been simplified from 181 requirements under the National Recovery Plan (PPN) towards returning to normal life.
The reopening of the country’s borders on April 1, especially ahead of the fasting month and Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebration is seen to be able to boost the country’s economy and revive the tourism sector.
These measures could also help realise Ismail Sabri’s desire to drive the country’s recovery as mentioned in his maiden national address as the prime minister.
