COMMENT | Playing fair by the MCO

COMMENT | I have a question for Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin’s government: Do you want the movement control order (MCO) to work? At the rate things are going, I would be surprised if the answer was a resounding “yes” from everyone occupying government positions.

Let’s begin by first understanding what is needed for something as extreme as an MCO to be effective. For the MCO to be a success, research shows that clarity is key.

That means having clear and consistent messaging about the measures being taken to stop the spread of a pandemic. One researcher, a professor of psychological medicine, stresses that “it is important to know what makes people more likely to comply”.

This brings us to a second condition for public compliance with a prolonged MCO - trust in the government. Israeli historian and author of the bestseller Sapiens, Yuval Noah Harari, in an article in the Financial Times, rightly points out that: “(To) achieve such a level of compliance and co-operation, you need trust. People need to trust science, to trust public authorities, and to trust the media.”

Unfortunately, members of Muhyiddin’s administration are slowly but surely undermining both these conditions for a successful MCO.

Firstly, clear messaging isn’t just about repeatedly exhorting Malaysians to #StayHome. Clear messaging also needs consistent behaviour. You can’t be saying something, and then doing the opposite thing, if you want the populace to follow your instructions. Because guess what? Citizens won’t just listen to what you say. They also watch...