‘TOTAL LOCKDOWN’ will force industries in Malaysia to shut down

Malaysia, 31 May. All manufacturing sectors – with an exception for those deemed necessary – will be shut down as Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin orders a “total lockdown” of the country to combat a surge in Covid-19 cases. Muhyiddin announced the June lockdown on Friday, revealing that all unessential sectors and industries would be totally shut down from between June 1 and June 14. “With the latest rise in daily cases showing a drastically upward trend, hospital capacity across the country to treat COVID-19 patients are becoming limited,” he explained. On Sunday, the manufacturing sectors which would be allowed to continue operation were revealed. These include medical and healthcare supplies, food and drink, cleaning products, printing and packaging, and aviation maintenance. Agriculture, fishing, and livestock will continue during the lockdown, as well as oil, gas, and electricity manufacturing, various plantations, and their supply chains, according to Reuters. Malaysian Health Director-General Noor Hisham Abdullah warned on Sunday that, in certain situations, doctors may have to “make difficult choices to prioritize ICU beds for patients with higher recovery potential than those with lower recovery potential” – potentially deciding who lives and who dies. “Although a number of ICU beds for Covid patients has been added, the rate of use is still more than 100%,” he explained. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Malaysia has recorded over 558,000 cases of Covid-19 and 2,650 deaths since the beginning of the pandemic.