Good morning, we've started the long road to flatten the Covid-19 curve. Here's what you need to know today.

Key Highlights

• MCO 2.0: How long?
  
  
• Treason under emergency
  
  
• When in doubt, cry "hacked"
  
  

MCO 2.0: How long?

Twelve weeks or 84 days - that's how long it'll take to flatten the Covid-19 curve.

The second movement control order (MCO 2.0) is until Jan 26, but authorities don't expect cases to start dropping. Like the first MCO, it can be extended.

During MCO 1.0 last year, it took a month for a significant drop in cases. Easing started after 48 days. The peak daily cases then were 235. The current peak is 3,309.

The silver lining is the Pfizer-Biontech vaccine (95 percent effective) coming in February. They are enough for 39 percent of the population but under the 60-70 percent for herd immunity.

Others on Putrajaya's shopping list is UK's Astra Zeneca-Oxford and China's Sinovac, enough for 41.9 percent of the population. They are still up in the air due to vastly varying reported effectiveness (50 to 90 percent).

 

HIGHLIGHTS

	Strained MOH to rope in private hospitals in Covid-19 fight Health DG says not enough personnel to treat more patients.
	Deal's off if vaccine doesn’t pass muster - Khairy A Phase III trial finds Sinovac only 50.4 percent efficacious.
	Deputy comms minister has Covid-19 Zahidi Zainul Abidin had returned from Penang.

Treason under emergency

Critics of the emergency proclamation are treasonous and should be punished - that's according to Bersatu supreme council leader Muhammad Faiz Na'aman.

Such rhetoric is not uncommon. But when Faiz's party president Muhyiddin Yassin wields immense emergency powers as the prime minister, it is a cause for concern.

This followed Muhyiddin's own warning of tough action against those who undermine the government's efforts against Covid-19. MCMC also warned netizens to watch their words.

Already, civil rights groups are worried about a prelude to actions that could violate fundamental liberties.

Borrowing from the Spiderman series: "With great power comes great responsibility." Malaysians will watch vigilantly if Muhyiddin and his party live up to those principles - in words and actions.

HIGHLIGHTS

	CIJ warns of arbitrary arrests under cloak of emergency Worry over the infringement of human rights.
	Hadi backs emergency, targets those on 'sinking ships' He says some are engaging in 'full-time politicking'.
	MP: Can a suspended Parliament ward off Covid-19? He thinks the emergency is wrong but admits it can't be challenged.

When in doubt, cry "hacked"

The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission's (MCMC) warning to netizens to watch their words shortly after an emergency proclamation would ordinarily have a chilling effect.

But the warning set off a series of comedic events with the MCMC disabling its own Twitter account. This is after netizens dug up lewd comments posted under the MCMC's account in 2014.

The official narrative is the account was "hacked". Multimedia and Communications Minister Saifuddin Abdullah even ordered a thorough investigation into the "hacking", which the MCMC realised after seven years.

A 22-year-old claimed he sold the Twitter account with 50,000 followers to another person for RM1,300 before it was converted into the MCMC's official account. The MCMC did not acknowledge the claim.

HIGHLIGHTS

	Answer Twitter account buy, MCMC told Lawyer Syahredzan Johan dismisses hacking claim.
	'Deputy minister's visitors were from before MCO' Noor Azmi's office says visit was on Tuesday, Jan 12.
	MP invites 'untainted' Umno rebels to join Harapan Plus Tuaran MP calls for new cooperation amid emergency.

A daily glance at Covid-19

• 2,985 new cases yesterday (Jan 13), third-highest on record.
  
  
• Eight states and federal territories saw three-digit gains in new cases.
  
  
• The number of Covid-19 patients under treatment increased by more than 10,000 over the last nine days.
  
  
• Malaysiakini continues to compile daily locations affected by Covid-19 so you can take precautions.
  
  

What else is happening?

• The controversial proposal to merge Khazanah-linked UEM Sunrise Bhd with Eco World Development Group Bhd was aborted.
  
  
• Upko president Wilfred Madius Tangau urged opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim to form a shadow cabinet, lamenting that the opposition had wasted enough time.
  
  
• Police will show leniency for this week to those stranded from home due to to the interstate travel ban.
  
  
  

HIGHLIGHTS

	MOH now reports specific locales for new clusters MOH previously resisted disclosing locations, citing stigma.
	Prosecution fails to forfeit RM37m linked to PKFZ The Federal Court dismissed the prosecution’s appeal.
	MCO 2.0: A guide to what shops will remain open Govt says it will ensure supply chain continuity.

What are people saying?

	End 'cloak-and-dagger' politics By Lim Kit Siang
	The emergency is a circuit breaker for toxic politics By S Thayaparan
	Emergency: The only logical thing for PM to do By deputy minister Ali Biju

KINI LENS

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