While we don’t have an accurate way of measuring traffic in the days of the movement control order (MCO), from what’s being shared online, it appears that there have been more cars on the road of late, compared to when the MCO first started.
These pieces of circumstantial evidence from all over the Klang Valley, corroborated by some of our own observations when heading out for essentials, point to more people venturing out more often. It seems like a trend, perhaps because of cabin fever setting in, or the knowledge of “safe routes” without roadblocks.
Here’s a post from a Grab driver confirming that the traffic has indeed got heavier over the weeks (today is day 28 of the MCO, which started on March 18). His account includes the experience of being stuck in a roadblock traffic jam for two full hours. Why are there so many cars on the road? Everyone can’t be an essential services worker now, can they?
Here are the observations and photo evidence from Oneazam Mokhtar, posted on his Facebook page on April 11, and translated to English below. You can find the original Bahasa Malaysia text in his post embedded above.
“I’m a Grab driver. Almost everyday since the MCO started, I’ve been driving. At the start of the MCO, the roads were empty with very few cars. Those who were on the road then were riders from Foodpanda and GrabFood.
“But today (April 11) I am totally shocked. The amount of cars on the road is like a normal day, as if the MCO doesn’t exist. Everyone is going around doing their things as if nothing is wrong. I noticed that this started since yesterday, after the government announced that the MCO will be extended for another 14 days.
“And it’s not one person per car. I’ve seen so many cars with husbands and wives, and some have their whole families. There was even this woman who was next to me at the traffic lights – she had a baby in the front seat, OMG. She was playing with the baby with no fear.
“You want to know how many cars are on the road? Here’s an example. I was stuck in the roadblock in front of the EkoCheras Mall for two hours. I could have watched an entire Ahmad Albab movie on Youtube and still be stuck there. That’s just how terrible the situation is.
“If this is our attitude towards the MCO, to think that the MCO will be extended till Raya is an understatement. I beg all of you – please stay at home, I want my normal life back!”
Even though thankfully, Malaysian’s Covid-19 trendline has not seen an exponential increase such as those seen in Italy, Spain and now the US – meaning we’re doing a decent job at flattening the curve – the cases keep on coming as known clusters grow in generation and new ones emerge. There have also been sporadic cases where the source of infection cannot be traced.
In today’s press briefing, health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah revealed that Malaysia recorded 170 new Covid-19 cases, taking the total number in the country to 4,987. Of the nearly 5k total, 82 have died, with five new deaths added to the tally today. Clearly, we are not out of the woods and the coronavirus is out there, spreading.
Yes, the MCO has caused some difficulty (to put it very lightly), whether is it for businesses or the individual. Being confined within four walls for so long isn’t easy, whether you’re trying to balance work and family duties (with all the kids at home) or if you’re a single person trying to stay sane.
But staying at home for all but the most necessary of trips out for essentials is the only way to break the coronavirus’ chain of transmission. Already, the MCO has been extended two times – phase three starts tomorrow and will be in place till April 28. Do you want to be locked up for another month?
I’m guessing no, because it’ll be incredibly tough on both the financial health of businesses (which in the end, will impact all of us) and the mental health of us all. But if things go south, the government’s hand might be forced – let’s not let it come to that.
So, let’s hunker down and get this over and done with. Let’s make our MCO sacrifices worthwhile and not throw away the gains because of impatience. Kita jaga kita starts with staying at home and following the rules. Besides, you don’t want to risk the stiffer enforcement and penalties that will kick in from tomorrow.
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Abang abang polis in plain clothes should randomly check cars at high traffic areas….
Fine offenders on the spot RM1000…..and give them 1 week community cleaning work at the area they loitered.
Abang abang polis in plain clothes should detain and bring those interrogate, to nearby hotel and fined them on the spot RM1000. If balai is too far away…. and road too trafik jam.
Those Game Over people didn’t realize that by staying at home, they can be the Game-Changing hero for the country and by going outside, they are a Game Over criminal for the country
Please tell the Health Minister that testing needs to go up if not this pandemic will never end. 90% of patients don’t show symptoms and spread the virus unknowingly that’s why our new cases are not going down. South Korea did 300k tests as soon as it started getting there while we have done 50k after 2 months. WHO has started the number 1 priority is testing.
Now, let’s call out the morally bankrupt private healthcare industry in Malaysia who are charging “promotion” price for COVID testing at 350rm per test. Can anyone babe one contribution from private hospitals in this pandemic? Banks let go of 6 months loan repayment, other industries shutting down. And what is the contribution from the greedy private hospitals except to gleefully look at all the infections as money in the bank.
Wrong channel sir.
SK’s rapid test kit is inaccurate. they are in trouble now. cases of discharged patients found positive again are reported. they say the virus ‘reactivates’ but in actuality, their test kits had given out false negative results. we need to ramp up testing but resources are limited. even if we have the money, suppliers are scrambling to fulfill orders.
You go open your own hospital and make everything free. See how long you can last.
Yea you obviously dont know how anti-pandemic supply chain works. AND im not saying I know the specifics but it is easier said than done. Good luck comparing us to KOREA lol.
let them practise MCO in their car. But only give priority to allowed vehicle ie ambulans, foodpanda etc. Do more road closing !
Rakyat financial health and mental devastating.
People will MURDER each other if the government add another month. So yeah, I’m up for it. The purge, here I come !! :D
As above. People will do everything to get their hectic and active lifestyle back. Let us DIE godammnit
Yeah, govt should allow stubborn people like you to jump off a designated cliff where nobody can recover the bodies. Let nature take care of the virus.
From my experience, private hospital is business, and all about profit and making money. So far, I dont think any private hospitals did/contributed anything significant to curb COVID19.
MOH should do something about it.
I knew it that a lot will come out and break the law. It’s predictable that the longer the MCO, the more will break the law.
thanks to gov allowed company operate…
They are out to take RM1600 at banks. Other days go out to spend the RM1600 la. Since RON95 at RM1.25, also want to refill the petrol. As simple as that. G should disburse the fund using e wallet so people don’t have to go out instead.
Higher volume of vehicles…don’t forget as the sector of industries open up, of course more people are working and what’s worst, only 1 person in the car. Assuming if you used to car pool with your colleagues (eg. 2 or 3 pax), now, you have to drive 3 separate cars to goto work. Don’t that increase the volume of cars. For essential sectors, imagine banks or insurance companies, where there hire thousand of workers, if 50% of the worker drive individual vehicles, you already can see the increase in volume and what’s more, with roadblocks, it just cause more jams. I disagree with the govt of not allowing more than 1 person in the car as i believe car pooling is indeed safer than going into e-hailing where you won’t even know whom this person have encounter with.
As impossible as it may sound, some level of policing must be put in place. People are bound to break laws because that is just the way we are wired. Plus, admittedly it is not easy to cooped up in one place. Those of us with large homes probably have it easier. If yours is a 660sf home, typical of government housing in Malaysia, it can be challenging. And remember, they have to work from home in an already challenged space. I am not backing up these people who flout the rules but emotional health needs addressing. We may meed to teach them or guide them how to make use of such spaces, and the spaces around their apartment blocks while observing social distancing.
In this case, the law is poorly enforced. In my area, in the 29 days of MCO, not even once have I seen roadblocks. I can only recall a Jabatan Penerangan Awam van coming through the road in front of my condo ONCE in the 29 days. ONCE!
There needs to be a deployment of military, polce, auxiliary police, RELA and all defence resources which are not serving border control and protection to address this. The road in front of my condo leads to Segambut and in the other direction, Hartamas. It is a major thoroughfare by design as it links the Segambut industrial area to Hartamas, Kiara, Damansara Heights and beyond; on normal days the jam here is from 715am to 815am. There must be an inspection point at the ends of this road, or at least at the Segambut end and at the Hartamas entry point.
Unless you enforce physical blocks, people will find a way. It is in our nature to find a way out. In my chat groups, people are sharing the “clear routes” and sharing the road block points. The more you have these blocks, the less can be shared.
I know, I know. Senang cakap la! That’s a truth. Kudos to the authorities for their effort, but let’s beef it up a bit.
You have to understand this isn’t a curfew or lockdown. Its MCO. The govt will only deploy roadblock at areas where the need arises, it isn’t arbitrary. And with MKN sms going out to everyone on regular updates, do you still need a van with loudhailer to blast out messages? This isn’t the 60’s komunis era you know.
Well, we are opening up many industries including barber ( or has it been removed from the list?) so naturally u would expect more cars out there. Plus the stubborn ones who can’t sit at home!
it is a breach of human rights if people were asked to stay home n this mco seems never ending nobody wants cabin fever n people want their lives back to normalcy
You’d be breaching my human rights to be safe from harm if you were to recklessly contract COVID-19. How’s that?
A lot of shops illegally open for business when I was walking along a row of shops at Bandar Puteri Puchong. Just as I walk past the shop, the shutter open for the staff to pass stuff to someone outside before closing the shutter back. The police should just check all the shops since the cars are all parked downstairs as if its a normal business day.
The government made th wrong decision to hand RM1k penalty. It’s a small amount and many can afford to pay it.
Going to court will only cause time wastage. Imagine 2k to 3k attends court just because they break MCO.
Government needs to amend the law and the best way is for the police to perform public caning on the spot for each offender with their pictures and video taken and uploaded to Youtube.
That is the best way for people to avoid.
Naik kan denda dia 5000 n masok penjara baru tahu dorg takot..setakat 1000 mestila dorang tak takot..
nak tahu kenapa lebih banyak kereta atas jalan?
Tanya pada Ministry of International Trade & Industri (MITI). Banyak kilang sudah dapat approval utk beroperasi.
Semua dah ada surat kebenaran, so patutlah lebih banyak kereta atas jalan. simple logic.