Good morning, here's a quick rundown of what happened over the weekend.


Key Highlights

  • Covid-19 restrictions relaxed

  • Justifying the easing

  • PN strikes back at Umno



Covid-19 restrictions relaxed

Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin yesterday announced relaxed rules for fully vaccinated individuals, which will take effect from today, Aug 10. These new rules are:

  • Overseas returnees can quarantine at home
  • Long-distance spouses may travel interstate to meet up
  • Parents may travel interstate to see their under 18 children
  • Prayers allowed at places of worship

States under Phase 2 and beyond of the National Recovery Plan (NRP) will have extra benefits:

  • Interdistrict travel allowed
  • Tourism within the same state allowed
  • Dine-in allowed
  • Outdoor sports allowed, with social distancing



HIGHLIGHTS

'Madness' - Najib on relaxed rules for overseas travellers
He warns dangerous variants will enter the country.
MCA wants govt to reconsider plan to reopen schools
It says reopening schools next month is ‘impractical’.
Those who missed second jab can walk in for vaccination
Teachers can also walk in.




Justifying the easing

To justify the easing of restrictions, the government touted how Sarawak, Perlis and Labuan have moved into Phase 3 of the NRP while six states are in Phase 2.

In reality, all states except Labuan and Perlis have regressed and no longer qualify for Phase 2 and beyond due to a surge in Covid-19 cases in recent weeks, based on the original criteria outlined by the government last month.

However, the government has now redefined how states progress under the NRP by disregarding the number of Covid-19 cases and instead considering the number of symptomatic admissions at hospitals.

While symptomatic admissions are expected to decline with a higher vaccination rate, it may not give an accurate picture at a time when many hospitals are at maximum capacity and Covid-19 patients are being turned away.

The government admitted that the easing could lead to a further rise in Covid-19 cases but pushed the narrative that fully vaccinated individuals would suffer significantly less severe symptoms. This is true.

However, with the more virulent Delta variant, the fully vaccinated are still susceptible to infection, which although less severe, could spread to the unvaccinated.

To date, only 35.3 percent of the adult population are fully vaccinated and the target is 50 percent by Aug 31.

Here's the unvarnished take: The economic cost of the prolonged lockdown is devastating and a case must be made to justify reopening, even though the numbers aren't there yet.

A record 360 people died from Covid-19 yesterday and the number of patients in the intensive care unit is at 1,095, two shy of the record high.



HIGHLIGHTS

Covid-19 exposed our healthcare's deficiencies - Health DG
'We struggled to cope in past few decades.
DG says other patients becoming collateral damage
Surgeries impacted for non-Covid-19 patients.
Covid-19 deaths: How it compares to other top killers in M'sia
Covid-19 fatalities in the country crossed 10k.

 



PN strikes back at Umno

Forces aligned to Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin are working to contain the fallout after at least 11 Umno MPs withdrew their support.

Umno vice-president Ismail Sabri Yaakob rallied 31 BN MPs to support Muhyiddin, only to have three of them refute him, leaving him with 28 MPs.

This gives us an indication of Muhyiddin's numbers: 28 BN MPs + 77 non-BN MPs in the Perikatan Nasional government. That's 105 out of 220 MPs - short of a majority.

Muhyiddin also received several more blows with a second Umno minister resigning and middle-level leaders leaving their government-linked positions.

PN struck back with the Registrar of Societies (ROS) declaring Umno's decision to postpone its party election invalid, which could force Umno to hold its elections soon.

This provides an opportunity to oust Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who has been orchestrating the moves against Muhyiddin, but analysts warned that this could anger party grassroots and bolster Zahid's position.

Muhyiddin has until September to neutralise Zahid and rebuild his majority when he faces a confidence vote. Some opposition MPs revealed that they have been given offers to defect.



HIGHLIGHTS

Khairy: I have trust issue with Umno president
However, the minister pledges loyalty to Umno.
MACC told to probe alleged attempt to 'buy' its MPs
MACC failing to act will confirm it's a stooge - Harapan.
Refusing to wait for confidence vote is treason - DPM
He also slammed those who try to bring down the govt.

 


A daily glance at Covid-19

  • 18,688 new cases yesterday (Aug 8).

  • Active cases continued to rise to 225,393, an increase of over 100,000 since July 18.

  • The average positivity rate last week climbed to 13.07 percent, up from 11.53 percent in the preceding week. That means out of every 100 tests, 13 people turned out to be positive. The World Health Organization's (WHO) recommended positivity rate is no more than five percent.

  • For trends on daily cases, tests, hospital beds capacity, vaccination progress and more, follow our Covid-19 tracker.


What else is happening?

  • National track cyclist Azizulhasni Awang bagged a silver medal in the men's keirin at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics Games.

  • Pakatan Harapan Youth chief Shazni Munir Mohd Ithnin passed away after succumbing to Covid-19.

  • Kedah Menteri Besar Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor apologised after sparking outrage over a joke about makeshift morgues amid mounting Covid-19 deaths.

  • Police have questioned some 20 opposition MPs over their attempt to enter Parliament last Monday, which was thwarted by riot police.

  • The police vowed stern action after activists threatened another round of the #Lawan protest. Police have also questioned journalists, lawyers and even Suhakam commissioners over the first protest.



HIGHLIGHTS

Grieving Yuna doesn't want return to old normal, but a better world
Popstar lost someone very close to her to Covid-19.
Cops quiz Anwar, Wan Azizah over march to Parliament
More MPs to be quizzed by the police.
Public advised against going for Covid-19 antibody test
KJ says no clinical guidelines yet.

 


What are people saying?

Biggest reason for Covid-19 spike is insufficient testing
By Tony Pua
Contact-tracing the non-essentials
By S Arutchelvan
Our health services: On a wing and prayer
By R Nadeswaran