The wearing of face masks in crowded public places has been mandated compulsory starting August 1, as said by Senior Minister, Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

“Starting Aug 1, it is mandatory to wear face masks in public transportation, such as buses, trains, LRT, taxi and e-hailing vehicles.

“Crowded public places that are listed by the National Security Council include wet markets, wholesale and night markets and supermarkets.

“Tourist destinations, as well as cinemas, have also been designated as crowded public areas, ” he added, aiming to clarify the confusion surrounding what exactly constitutes a public place.

As the new Covid-19 law came into effect, videos have gone viral across social media displaying the public being reprimanded and fined for failing to wear face masks in petrol stations, private vehicles and restaurants.

Since then, Ismail Sabri said it was not compulsory to wear masks in one’s own private vehicle.

“It is very clear the rules apply to public vehicles.

“If you are in a car with your family, you do not need to wear masks, that is your private vehicle.

“If you are in the car with your colleagues who you see every day, you would know if they have Covid-19 or otherwise, and so you would consider that a private vehicle, ” he said.

He probably should have told the cops before they started fining and scare-mongering. I mean C,mon. The reason for the recent and just general spike in Covid-19 cases is because of the Covidiots coming back to Malaysia and failing to quarantine themselves sufficiently, thus causing local transmission of the virus to the rest of us.

Maybe the government should perhaps focus their efforts on not letting THAT happen, rather than attacking poor, low income Malaysians that will inevitably be hit hardest by this ruling. See the tweet below. 

https://twitter.com/1Obefiend/status/1290256166648340483?s=20

And that Tweeter is not alone in this feeling.

Bandar Kucing MP, Dr Kelvin Yii is urging the government to revise the blanket rm1,000 fine imposed on offenders for not wearing face masks in public places during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“To me the RM1,000 fine for not wearing face masks in public places is too high especially for the lower income group who may forget to wear their face masks. They may not know of the policy or standard operating procedures (SOP).