Malaysia will announce plans to ease restrictions for those who have been fully vaccinated against Covid-19, after the Hari Raya Haji celebrations today.
While the regulations are still under review, this could mean that 4.5 million people, or about 20 per cent of the adult population, may be allowed to travel beyond the current 10km-radius limit or dine in at restaurants. Such activities are now banned under the full movement control order implemented in most states since June 1.
"We will give leeway. The technical committee is studying the proposal on individuals as well as the business sectors allowed to be involved in the relaxation of restrictions," Deputy Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said yesterday.
The authorities are on alert this week for people breaching travel curbs and social distancing rules to celebrate Hari Raya Haji.
Nearly 15 million vaccine doses have been given nationwide so far, with about 10 million people having received at least one jab. The government estimates that 40 per cent of the total population will be inoculated by the end of August, and all adults will have received both doses by the end of October.
Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said on Sunday that the government intends to further accelerate the Covid-19 immunisation programme with 500,000 jabs daily, from the current average of over 400,000 shots.
To this end, vaccination centres in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor - which together account for half of the country's recent Covid-19 cases - will from Aug 1 allow individuals without appointments to walk-in for their first doses.
Malaysia's vaccination drive comes amid a sustained spike in cases, with five-digit new daily infections in the past week. Another 10,972 patients were added yesterday to bring the tally to 927,533.
Although data shows the surge has plateaued, it is still likely that Malaysia will breach the one million case mark this month as the rate of transmission hit 1.15 on Sunday. It was last below 1 - which indicates reducing infections - on June 27.
Another 129 deaths were logged yesterday, the eighth consecutive day of three-digit deaths, bringing the death toll to 7,148.
Police said there was no unusual volume of traffic leaving the capital Kuala Lumpur yesterday. This comes after the authorities suspended from July 18 to 21 the use of interstate travel permits for those allowed to travel for work, after nearly 5,000 vehicles were turned back at state borders last Friday.
