Most Malaysians adhere to SOP, but pandemic fatigue setting in

─ CHAN TAK KONG/The Star

SHAH ALAM (Bernama): Pictures and videos going viral on social media recently of people not adhering to standard operating procedures (SOP) has sparked public outrage, especially with the high number of Covid-19 cases recorded in the country.

Nevertheless, the majority of Malaysians are steadfastly observing these SOPs set by the government since last year, which have now become the new norm of daily life.

Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) counseling psychologist Dr Fauziah Mohd Saad said this could be seen during the recent Hari Raya celebration, where the majority of the people complied with the government's directive not to make house visits.

"However, in terms of enforcement, there must be empowerment by authorities, such as the management of shopping centres, to control the number of patrons at their premises," she told Bernama.

A survey by Bernama found there were not as many people at shopping malls in Shah Alam as depicted on social media over the recent Aidilfitri celebrations.

Counselling and motivation expert Hushim Salleh opined that SOP were violated by some as they had been under the movement control order for too long.

"They are suffering from pandemic exhaustion to the point of where psychological and emotional effects are triggered and they no longer care about the Covid-19 pandemic situation," he said.

He also said they are well aware of the rising number of the Covid-19 infections and advice to comply with SOPs as all the information is easily obtained through their smartphones.

"It is the current situation that can sometimes lead to irrational thinking," he added.

Selangor recorded the highest number of Covid-19 cases with a total of 1,650 new cases on Monday (May 17).

Meanwhile, a survey by Bernama at the Covid-19 Assessment Center at the Malawati Stadium found that it was no longer as crowded as was claimed on social media.

This followed a decision by the state government to set up tents outside the CAC for the convenience of patients and staff. – Bernama