Malaysian minister warns against taking kids to malls
PETALING JAYA : If you continue to take your children to public places, malls and supermarkets, we may make it illegal for you to do so.
That was Malysian Senior Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob's message to parents.
He said that as of now, there are no restrictions for parents taking children out.
"But be responsible. The safety of your children is your responsibility," he said.
"If this continues (parents taking their children out to crowded places), the government will consider making such an act illegal."
In another development, Malaysian authorities yesterday detained hundreds of foreign workers in a major raid in areas around the Kuala Lumpur Wholesale Market, which has been under lockdown due to a high coronavirus infection rate, local media reported.
This is the second major raid on a foreign-worker enclave.
The first raid, around the Jalan Masjid India earlier this month, raised complaints from labour activists that arresting foreign nationals would scare many of them into hiding, when they should be encouraged instead to come forward for testing.
There has been strong backlash from Malaysians fearful of the virus being carried by foreign workers who live in cramped, rented housing.
Malaysia has some 2.2 million registered foreign workers and an estimated 3 million more undocumented labourers.
The country reported 70 new Covid-19 cases yesterday, bringing the total number of infections to 6,726. There was one new death reported, bringing the death toll to 109.
Meanwhile, Indonesia is trying to safely maintain the bazaars where most people go to get affordable food.
This is a daunting task in a country that yesterday reported 233 new infections, taking the total to 14,265. There were 18 new deaths, taking the death toll to 99.
In the Salatiga market in Central Java province, vendors and visitors are required to wear masks and avoid physical contact. At least eight confirmed cases of the virus have been found in the city of Salatiga, local media has reported.
In the Philippines, the Health Ministry yesterday reported 292 additional cases, bringing the total to 11,086. It recorded seven more deaths, increasing the total to 726. - THE STAR, THE STRAITS TIMES, REUTERS
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