Covid-19: Face masks optional? Wait until next week, says Khairy

PUTRAJAYA: More relaxations of Covid-19 curbs are expected to be announced by the government next week, ahead of the Hari Raya celebrations.

It is understood that the announcement could be related to Malaysia’s mask wearing requirement, especially after Plantation Industries and Commodities Datuk Zuraida Kamaruddin hinted that it would no longer be compulsory after Hari Raya, Malay language daily Sinar Harian reported.

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"I can take off my mask to speak, right? No problem, after Raya, it may be optional," Sinar Harian reported her as saying at an event at her ministry on Friday (April 22).

Meanwhile, Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin kept mum about the face mask mandate when asked at the launch of the mQUIT programme at the Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin Mosque earlier Friday.

"Wait until next week," was his short reply to the question.

At a separate event at Hospital Putrajaya later, Khairy said the government was prepared to remove more Covid-19 restrictions as the pandemic situation in the country had improved.

However, he urged Malaysians not to be complacent as Malaysia was still in the transition to the endemicity phase of battling Covid-19.

Malaysia made face-mask wearing mandatory from August 1, 2020.

Many countries have removed the requirement to wear face masks in public.