KUALA LUMPUR — Malaysia on Monday (May 10) imposed a new nationwide lockdown, as the country grapples with a surge in coronavirus cases and highly infectious variants that the government said are testing its health system.

Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said all inter-state and inter-district travel will be banned, along with social gatherings.

Educational institutions will be shut but economic sectors will be allowed to continue, Mr Muhyiddin said, without elaborating.

"Malaysia is facing a third wave of Covid-19 that could trigger a national crisis," Mr Muhyiddin said in a statement, adding that the lockdown measures will continue until June 7.

“The emergence of new variants that are more infectious, coupled with the strain on the public healthcare system, the government has to take drastic steps to avoid an even bigger catastrophe.” 

This is the first time the Malaysian government has enforced a movement control order for a four-week period as the previously these had been issued for up to two weeks at a time.

In his announcement, Mr Muhyiddin also said that private vehicles, taxis, and e-hailing services will be allowed a maximum capacity of three people per car beginning Wednesday.

The number of passengers allowed in vehicles ferrying goods and those part of supply chains will depend on the number permitted as stated on their registration and licences.

Concerning public transport, he said the number of passengers allowed in each vehicle must be such that it is possible to maintain the minimum distance of 1m between occupants.

Malaysia has seen a spike in coronavirus infections in recent weeks, with the country reporting 3,807 new cases on Monday.

It has now seen a total of 444,484 cases and 1,700 deaths.

Malaysia is under a state of emergency, which was declared by Mr Muhyiddin in January to curb the spread of Covid-19.

The new restrictions are as follows:

• All inter-district and interstate travel will be barred except in cases of emergency, health, work, economy, vaccination and long-distance relationships.
• All social gatherings including wedding receptions, dinners, conferences and face-to-face meetings are prohibited. Wedding registrations can be conducted with strict  standard operating procedure at the various National Registration Department offices or religious authorities. 
• All sporting and recreational activities are barred unless it’s by individuals in open spaces such as jogging, cycling and exercising. 
• All educational institutions will be closed. Exception is for those facing international examinations. Nurseries and daycare centres can operate based on the current standard operating procedure. 
• The total number of passengers per vehicle, whether private, taxis or e-hailing, will be limited to three, including the driver. 
• There will be no dine-ins at restaurants. Sales of food items will be through drive-through or takeaways. 
• Employers must carry out the work-from-home arrangement with no more than 30 per cent of management employees allowed at any one time. 
• House-to-house visits and visitations to the graves will be prohibited during the Hari Raya holidays. 
• Aidilfitri prayer at mosques will be allowed, limited to 50 for mosques that have 1,000 capacity and 20 for those with a capacity of below 1,000. 
• Non-Muslim houses of worship must refer to the SOP that will be provided by the National Unity Ministry. AGENCIES