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Key Highlights

• Tougher MCO mulled
  
  
• Vaccines and pregnant mums
  
  
• Sabah government
  
  

Tougher MCO mulled

The Health Ministry is mooting a more stringent form of the movement control order (MCO) in Selangor, which recorded more than 1,000 new cases for 13 consecutive days.

The current MCO, unlike the first one last year, allows most economic sectors to operate. But it doesn’t mean the proposal will be taken up.

The Health Ministry and International Trade and Industry Ministry have been in a constant tussle in their pitch to the National Security Council, which has struggled to balance life and livelihood.

Meanwhile, the Kota Setar district in Kedah, where the state’s capital Alor Setar is located, will come under the enhanced MCO tomorrow (May 19) - the most stringent lockdown where people aren’t allowed to leave their homes.

The move is significant as an enhanced MCO is rarely imposed on an entire district. Normally, it is implemented in villages or subdistricts.

Putrajaya said the situation was serious as Covid-19 had spread across the district in just eight days.

Kedah recorded more than 200 new cases in five of the last seven days. Prior to this month, it had never seen more than 200 new cases in a day.

The last time Putrajaya imposed a district-wide enhanced MCO was in Tawau and neighbouring districts in September last year - the origin of the third wave.

HIGHLIGHTS

	Sg Buloh Hospital stores dead in containers This comes amid increasing Covid-19 deaths.
	Send us non-Covid-19 patients - private hospitals This is to ease the congestion in public hospitals.
	Several mosques, surau breached SOPs - Jais Too many people were allowed into the premises.

Vaccines and pregnant mums

Putrajaya issued guidance that pregnant mothers should only take the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine as there is limited data on the safety of Sinovac and AstraZeneca for this category of recipients.

The government said it will provide further advice after consultation with experts for mothers who have already taken other Covid-19 vaccines before the guideline was issued.

Meanwhile, the second round of AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine registration will open on May 23. This time, it will prioritise senior citizens.

Apart from the Klang Valley, it’ll also be open to those in Johor, Sarawak and Penang.

Tanjong Papat assemblyperson Frankie Poon advised the vaccine recipients to be vigilant after he claimed health authorities almost gave him a different Covid-19 vaccine for the second dose.

He received Sinovac for the first dose and was offered Pfizer-BioNTech for the second. Recipients should receive the same Covid-19 vaccine for both doses.

HIGHLIGHTS

	Calls for harsher punishment for VIPs This comes amid claims of double standards.
	Harapan warns of more MCOs It says vaccination needed to be sped up.
	'Inefficient, disorganised' - recovered Covid-19 patient The situation at MAEPS needs improvement.

Sabah government

While much attention has revolved around the Umno-Bersatu tussle for the Malay heartland, PBS and Star are seeing a similar tussle for the Kadazan Dusun Murut (KDM) heartland in Sabah.

Like Umno and Bersatu, PBS and Star are also part of the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) coalition of parties in Sabah.

Like Bersatu, Star is being favoured by virtue of its membership in Perikatan Nasional, the dominant coalition.

The GRS-led Sabah government comprises PN, BN and PBS.

PBS’s friction with Star and its overtures to Warisan in the opposition led to speculation that a new Sabah government could be formed.

For now, PBS has downplayed the speculation.

Umno too has adopted a similar strategy with overtures to PKR to rattle Bersatu, but has yet to follow through with its threat to pull out of the ruling coalition.

HIGHLIGHTS

	Bersih slams cops for detaining protesters It calls police action excessive.
	Medical NGO calls for volunteers Help needed at vaccine centres.
	King congratulates Pavit He won an international public speaking contest.

 

A daily glance at Covid-19

• 4,446 new cases yesterday (May 17).
  
  
• 45 new deaths, breaking the record-high set just two days prior. 20 of those deaths were in Selangor.
  
  
• Terengganu's 201 new cases are the highest for the state since the start of the pandemic. 
  
  
• For trends on daily cases, tests, hospital beds capacity, vaccination progress and more, follow our Covid-19 tracker.
  
  

What else is happening?

• McDonald's Malaysia again came under attacks over the allegation that it is linked to Israel, forcing the fast-food chain to reiterate its Saudi ownership.
  
  
• The Inland Revenue Board is going after former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak's lawyer Muhammad Shafee Abdullah over alleged RM9.41 million in tax arrears.
  
  
• A Kajang orphanage resorted to donations for sustenance after one of the caretakers died of Covid-19 and another was hospitalised, forcing the children to fend for themselves.
  
  
• The Malaysian Armed Forces, which has set up three field hospitals in Sarawak, Sabah and Penang to aid the battle against Covid-19, said it is short on doctors and can only set up more such facilities if the government supplied the doctors.
  
  
• Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Khairy Jamaluddin is under home quarantine. He was in close contact with a Covid-19 patient.
  
  

HIGHLIGHTS

	Ex-1MDB CEO suspected Najib was involved in illegal activity He testified this during Najib's 1MDB trial.
	Rina asked to act as care homes close due to Covid-19 MP says there is a risk of further spread.
	Malaysia disappointed with UN It failed to act on Israeli aggression.

What are people saying?

	Leave no room for charitable acts to be questioned By R Nadeswaran
	M'sians deserve affordable housing with shared prosperity By Amirul Hamzah Abdullah
	How long can the world continue to be in denial? By Farhash Wafa Salvador

CARTOON KINI