Good morning, here's a quick rundown of what happened over the weekend.

Key Highlights

• Indefinite total lockdown
  
  

• Loan moratorium expansion
  
  

• AG weighs in on govt-Agong debate
  
  

Indefinite total lockdown

Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin announced the total lockdown (Phase 1) will be extended indefinitely until the average daily Covid-19 cases fall under 4,000.

Phase 1, which began on June 1, was initially supposed to last two weeks but was extended to June 28 and now indefinitely.

The total lockdown managed to “flatten the curve” but little progress was made on reducing the number of new cases.

Here’s how we’ve been performing (seven-day average) in the almost four weeks of the total lockdown:

• Week 1 (May 31-June 6): 7,326
• Week 2 (June 7-13): 5,813
• Week 3 (June 14-20): 5,557
• Week 4 (June 21-27): 5,377

The Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers (FMM) lamented the extension will cost businesses more losses.

However, Umno and PAS leaders said the little progress showed all factories should be shut down during the total lockdown.

The majority of Covid-19 clusters have originated from the workplace.

HIGHLIGHTS

	Ismail Sabri details future phases of lockdown This is when the country is ready for Phase 2.
	Putrajaya extends eateries hours to 10pm This was following appeals and feedback.
	Health DG: We avoided 'disaster' with 'total lockdown' Malaysia could hit 40k daily cases without lockdown.

Loan moratorium expansion

The government is planning an expansion of the loan moratorium as part of another upcoming aid package due to the extension of the total lockdown.

It is unclear how extensive the expansion will be as the government had been hesitant to implement a blanket loan moratorium.

Finance Minister Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz, after meeting Bank Negara Malaysia, indicated that they will be similar to the aid packages during the first movement control order (MCO) last year.

He also indicated that it could involve withdrawals from the Employees Provident Fund.

Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin is expected to announce the details today or tomorrow.

HIGHLIGHTS

	Guan Eng: Stimulus package cannot be cosmetic 'At least RM45bil needed'.
	From hawkers to restaurants, level of govt help is unpalatable Small traders don't qualify due to inadequate accounting.
	KJ: 'I'm talking durian, but EU envoy is talking rambutan' 'EU sidestepping vaccine inequity'.

AG weighs in on govt-Agong debate

Attorney-general Idrus Harun said only the cabinet and not the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong can decide when Parliament convenes.

This was amid a debate on whether the government should comply with the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong’s call for Parliament to reconvene as soon as possible.

Idrus came under fire from Pakatan Harapan for the public comment. The opposition coalition accused him of treason called for his sacking.

However, ex-attorney-general Tommy Thomas ticked off Harapan, stating that someone should not be sacked for their legal opinion. A lawyer suggested that the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong seek the Federal Court’s advice on the matter.

The government initially only planned to convene Parliament in September or October. 

However, Dewan Rakyat speaker Azhar Azizan Harun and Dewan Negara president Rais Yatim have proposed a August-September timeline. The duo has been summoned by the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong and a meeting is expected tomorrow.

HIGHLIGHTS

	Mazlan Lazim is new deputy IGP Agong appointed him on PM's advice.
	Pfizer vaccine still Health Ministry's choice for pregnant women Sinovac or AstraZeneca will be used if no stock.
	AstraZeneca, Sinovac approved for pregnant mums Advisory has been updated.

 

A daily glance at Covid-19

• 5,586 new cases yesterday (June 27).
  
  
• A total of 2,148 people have died from Covid-19 this month, contributing 43 percent of the total deaths since the start of the pandemic last year.
  
  
• The infectivity rate is on the rise, increasing to 0.99. That's the highest since June 6.
  
  
• For trends on daily cases, tests, hospital beds capacity, vaccination progress and more, follow our Covid-19 tracker.
  
  

What else is happening?

• Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Mustapa Mohamed apologised for breaching the standard operating procedure (SOP) against Covid-19 by dining in at a cafe in his constituency.
  
  
• Umno's Padang Rengas MP Nazri Abdul Aziz claimed he was only joking about going abroad for a holiday, explaining that he was going to register his son for school. International travel is only allowed under special circumstances during the lockdown.
  
  
• The Sabah government is investigating an incident where its deputy chief minister Bung Moktar Radin was served with turtle eggs, which consumption is illegal. Bung mocked critics by uploading a picture of himself holding up turtle eggs.
  
  
• Contract medical officers are mooting a strike due to, among others, unresolved problems with permanent placements. The Health Ministry is discouraging participation but denied a witch hunt. The government promised to expedite a solution.
  
  
• Umno is mooting to postpone its election for 18 months, a move that Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi's faction is trying to push for to fend off challengers as he tries to take the party out of Perikatan Nasional.
  
  
  

HIGHLIGHTS

	Hiring medical officers along racial lines: 'Not our stand' The Health Ministry says there was some confusion.
	Home minister given 14 days to decide on Pejuang's registration The court orders him to decide on the appeal.
	Twin sisters swapped at birth - truth unfolds after 19 years Incident believed to have happened at a Kota Bharu hospital.

What are people saying?

	The case for an automatic six-month loan moratorium By Rais Hussin et al
	Consider wildlife when building roads By LEAP
	Abide SOPs even when fully vaccinated By Yeap Ming Liong

CARTOON KINI