Khaled shares post-MCO suggestions with govt

PUTRAJAYA: Cheap, if not free, walk-in Covid-19 testing facilities need to be introduced throughout the country for everyone to access them, says Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin (pic).

The Umno vice-president said communication with the public should be carefully articulated where information shared among departments and agencies must be precise and consistent.

“We need to get the information understood and reach every member of public, ” he said in a list of suggestions for the government to consider to handle post-movement control order (MCO).

“It is important for the government to have an exit strategy in place before lifting the movement control order, ” he said.

He also said that using masks must be made a norm and sanitising stations must be provided at all public places.

“Improving digital infrastructure is also important in order to shift to a more crisis and future-proof society, ” he said, pointing out that over-reliance on physical contact had seen government facilities and departments left paralysed with little to no alternative.

“Our education system also has to be re-evaluated and adjusted. We can no longer be overdependent on physical classes and should start shifting to digital education, ” he said.

Khaled also mentioned that strict social distancing had to be considered as a long-term lifestyle change, while gatherings such as sports and entertainment events, weddings, funerals and religious gatherings need to be revised with the inclusion of strict crowd control policies.

As for industries, he said they must be able to adapt and survive abrupt changes seamlessly.

With the country having ignored technological advancement for far too long, he said it was time to introduce new policies and incentives for the implementation of automation on a large scale.

Khaled pointed out that tax exemptions and priority for government tenders and schemes were tools the government could use to encourage the transition to a more technology-savvy industry.