Don't let your guard down against Covid-19, says Negri MB

SEREMBAN: Some Malaysians are beginning to take Covid-19 lightly and if the trend continues, the repercussions can be worrying, says Datuk Seri Aminuddin Harun (pic).

The Negri Sembilan Mentri Besar said he noticed this at social functions as well as when performing prayers at mosques.

"The number of cases in Negri Sembilan has been fluctuating as we are becoming careless.

"On some days, you get about 80 cases, and on other days, more than 200.

"This is not good and we should strictly observe the standard operating procedure," he told reporters after the state exco meeting at Wisma Negri.

Aminuddin said the people should take note that some foreign governments were again being forced to impose stricter conditions due to a spike in Covid-19 cases.

He said as soon as people became lackadaisical, the cases would go up.

Asked if the state authorities would allow more worshippers to enter mosques or surau to perform their prayers with the Covid-19 situation under control now, Aminuddin said the matter had not been discussed.

Under the Health Ministry SOP, devotees need to be distanced a metre away from one another when they pray.

"I think there is no need to review this yet as generally, mosques and surau are still not full.

"Even on Fridays, you don't really see people rushing to perform their prayers," he said, adding that there was no such recommendation from the state fatwa council on this as well.

Aminuddin said the state authorities was still being extra careful for now, and would only discuss this when the situation improved.

He said with many returning pilgrims after performing their umrah in Mecca testing positive for the virus, it would also not be safe to review this yet.

Separately, Aminuddin said the authorities had yet to receive any report of fake Covid-19 certificates being sold in the state.