Good morning. We're less than 24 hours away to a nationwide interstate travel ban. Let's get you up to speed.

Key Highlights

• The cost of indecisiveness
  
  
• What MCO 2.0 entails
  
  
• Political psywar raging
  
  

The cost of indecisiveness

After a month of easing despite rising Covid-19 cases, Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin imposed the toughest restrictions since the first movement control order (MCO 1.0) last year.

Muhyiddin went for MCO 2.0, despite previously saying it could cause "societal and economic collapse", as the public health system was at breaking point.

When the interstate travel ban was lifted last month, Covid-19 patients took up 60.2 percent of available beds. Yesterday, it was 99.6 percent. 219 people died since.

MCO 1.0 cost the economy RM63 billion and took 48 days to control the virus. The daily peak before MCO 1.0 was 190 cases. MCO 2.0 is preceded by more than 2,000 daily cases for a week.

Putrajaya hoped to tame the soaring deficit this year even as critics claim targets were too optimistic. That was before MCO 2.0.


HIGHLIGHTS

	PM: MCO needed as health system at 'breaking point' He says health system cannot cope with 2,000 cases a day.
	'Virus spead after interstate travel allowed' Conditional MCO worked until travel restrictions were loosened.
	Zafrul responds after roasting from investors group He says M'sia is committed to investors

What MCO 2.0 entails

The prime minister spoke about restrictions but official SOPs won't come until seven hours before implementation at midnight, prompting criticism.

Until the official SOPs are released this evening, here's what we know based on ministerial statements:

MCO 2.0 (Penang, Selangor, Malacca, Johor, Sabah, Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and Labuan)

• No inter-district travel
  
  
• 10km travel radius limit
  
  
• Only two per household can go out
  
  
• Only two persons per vehicle
  
  
• No social gatherings (eg. weddings, prayers)
  
  
• All students learn from home except for those sitting for exams
  
  
• Outdoor exercise (eg. jogging) allowed but no groups
  
  
• Essential services can operate, others work from home

Pahang, Perak, Negeri Sembilan, Kedah, Terengganu and Kelantan will be under conditional MCO while Perlis and Sarawak are under recovery MCO.

They will see more relaxed rules such as normal schooling but interstate travel is still banned. In effect from Jan 13 to Jan 26.


HIGHLIGHTS

	Several states back in partial lockdown PM says drastic measures needed to control Covid-19.
	Govt panned for last-minute MCO 2.0 SOPs MPs say gov't did not learn from past mistakes.
	UK variant of Covid-19 found - Health DG He says the virus is contained.

Political psywar raging

As Ahmad Zahid Hamidi's faction in Umno turns the heat up on Muhyiddin, a psywar campaign forced the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) to respond.

The claim: Muhyiddin is unwell and may make Umno's Hishammuddin Hussein the deputy prime minister as a concession. The PMO denied and stressed Muhyiddin is now cancer-free.

The claim was fuelled by Hishammuddin's recent meetings with former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak and the Johor ruler.

The rumour mill was also in overdrive with speculation that Warisan may join Muhyiddin's government to counteract Umno. Warisan denied.

With only 110 out of 220 MPs, Muhyiddin needs to find ways to bolster his fragile government but the horse-trading remains behind closed doors.


HIGHLIGHTS

	PMO: Muhyiddin not sick, no DPM Muhyiddin is cancer-free, it says.
	Anwar: Umno MPs abandoning PM is 'smart' Opposition Leader claims gov't is weak and incapable.
	PN still strong political coalition, says Hadi He says no parties can replace PN.

A daily glance at Covid-19

• 2,232 new cases yesterday (Jan 11), the seventh consecutive day cases are above 2,000.
  
  
• 28,554 Covid-19 patients under treatment with only 28,674 beds.
  
  
• Sarawak broke three-digit new cases for the first time during the third wave.
  
  
• Record high of 187 patients in the intensive care unit.
  
  
• Malaysiakini continues to compile daily locations affected by Covid-19 so you can take precautions.
  
  

What else is happening?

• Rina Harun became the third minister infected with Covid-19. We trace her footsteps.
  
  
• PKR and PSB cross swords, threatening opposition infighting ahead of the Sarawak election.
  
  
• Putrajaya doubles vaccines purchase from Pfizer
  
  
  

HIGHLIGHTS

	Federal Court to decide Mkini contempt case on Friday A seven-member panel heard the case six months ago.
	Deloitte's ex-auditors fight MIA in court over 1MDB They say MIA's investigation tarnishes them.
	Bipartisan call for prisons reform against Covid-19 Covid-19 showed health in prisons and public health is interrelated.

What are people saying?

	Umbrellas to fight floods - Muda and its follies By Johan Arif
	Weak PN govt reducing investor confidence in M'sia By Bangi MP Ong Kian Ming
	DAP's dilemma in operating in a communal political system By Malaysiakini readers

CARTOON KINI

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