Good morning. If you're not already under MCO 2.0, you most likely will be. Here's what you need to know.

Key Highlights

  • MCO 2.0 expanded

  • Umno and DAP sing the same tune

  • VIPs, meet Covid-19



MCO 2.0 expanded

The whole country, except Sarawak, will come under the second movement control order (MCO 2.0) on Jan 22.

Is it bad? The states below were spared of MCO 2.0 on Jan 13. Here’s how many new Covid-19 cases they gained since then.

Negeri Sembilan (+1,060), Kedah (+873), Kelantan (+787), Perak (+637), Pahang (+567), Terengganu (+363) and Perlis (+51).

Remember, restaurants under MCO 2.0 close at 8pm and orders stop at 7.30pm. Here’s our guide if you need to refresh your memory.

Some have vented about going hungry after work. The government took notice. It’s consulting the Health Ministry on extending the hours so stay tuned.



HIGHLIGHTS

MCO 2.0 for more states on Jan 22
It applies to all except Sarawak.
Severe Covid-19 cases almost doubled
More hospitals taking Covid-19 patients.
Missing PPE due to 'technical glitch'
Hospital board denies misappropriation.

 



Umno and DAP sing the same tune

Once sworn enemies, Umno and DAP suddenly find themselves sharing a lot in common. They now have a common opponent - Muhyiddin Yassin.

Both Umno and DAP criticised Muhyiddin’s MCO 2.0 economic relief package, claiming it fell short.

Umno also asked its MPs to support a special Parliament sitting during the emergency. This annoyed pro-Muhyiddin forces in Umno but found support from DAP’s Lim Kit Siang.

However, Dewan Rakyat deputy speaker Azalina Othman, who is also from Umno, said it’s not happening.

If a special sitting is convened, there could be new no-confidence attempts against Muhyiddin. It won't matter as Muhyiddin has emergency powers, but it'll be poor optics.



HIGHLIGHTS

Guan Eng accused of undermining Putrajaya
Bersatu leader says he is impeding the economy.
Army's arrest powers limited to border control
Gov't gives assurance as they have the same powers as police.
Reject dictatorship in DAP - sacked rep
Sacked rep reported applied to join MCA.

 



VIPs, meet Covid-19

National Unity Minister Halimah Mohamed Sadique became the fifth cabinet member to get Covid-19.

Politicians have been eager to show how caring they are during this flood season and Halimah is no exception.

The flood victims are unlikely to be thrilled to learn that they are now close contacts of a Covid-19 patient.

Health Ministry director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah, in his usual spiel about staying home yesterday, made it a point to say that it applies to people of all positions.

Former Minister Nazri Abdul Aziz and former Terengganu menteri besar Ahmad Said were also infected.



HIGHLIGHTS

Agong: Set politics aside for frontliners
He says frontliners need support.
Kelantan reverses testing policy
There's isn't enough tests to go around.
Stop the 'SPM cluster'
18 students returning to school have Covid-19.

 



A daily glance at Covid-19

  • 3,631 new cases yesterday (Jan 19), second-highest daily gain on record.

  • All states except Putrajaya, Labuan, Perlis, Pahang and Terengganu recorded more than 100 new cases.

  • Selangor saw more than 1,000 new cases for four consecutive days.

  • Malaysiakini continues to compile daily locations affected by Covid-19 so you can take precautions.


What else is happening?

  • PAS' deputy minister Ahmad Marzuk Shaary says the Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction Act) 1965 could be amended with harsher punishments for the LGBT community.

  • Yayasan Wilayah Persekutuan sued members of the Public Accounts Committee which had investigated the sale of lands involving the foundation.

  • The Port Klang Authority is unable to reclaim part of its over RM2 billion losses as its former general manager OC Phang is bankrupt.


HIGHLIGHTS

Probe over beers at quarantine
Some under quarantine were drinking.
Suit against Azmin due to political treachery - Shahrir
He wants laws against party hopping.
Court guidance sought on Agong's powers
Lawyer says the law needs to be developed. 



What are people saying?

The fairy tale of the national emergency
By James Chai
The politicians failed us, time for ‘kita jaga kita’
By Malaysiakini readers
Normalcy trumps Harapan’s emergency rhetoric
By S Thayaparan



CARTOON KINI


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