Although there are 9 days to go before the Movement Control Order (MCO) ends on May 12, the government is already easing restrictions which will make thing a bit easier for those who need to travel by car.
The ruling regaring to one-person-per-car has been amended again to allow up to 4 persons to be in a vehicle (from May 4), provided they are from the same household. It’s not clear if they must be related as family members as the statements seem to sometimes say ‘same house’ and sometimes ‘same family’. Anyway, that will be a welcome change for those with children who have no one to look after them at home.
Earlier, it was announced that the one-person-per-car rule will no longer be enforced and a maximum of two persons can sit in the same vehicle, provided they are from the same household. This made sense since they stay together so what’s the difference between being at the dining table at home and inside a car?
Furthermore, as some people pointed out, two persons are allowed in a Grab taxi which can be considered risky too as the passenger is travelling in a vehicle that others also travel in. Of course, Grab would also ensure that measures are taken by their drivers to practice hygiene safety.
There were also complaints from those with situations where a husband may send a wife to work. The authorities said that if that was the case, one person should travel by public transport or use other means of travel. This caused unhappiness as additional costs would be incurred at a time when many people are facing financial challenges, not to mention added risks to health using other means of transport.
There is a 10-km limit from the home for travel but this was flexible if there were reasons why a person had to go further. For example, some people may have to go across the city for specialized medical treatment at a specific place.
The limit may no longer apply since most businesses are allowed to resume operations from tomorrow. This being the case, there will be many people who will be travelling long distances (eg from Kuala Lumpur to factories in Shah Alam, Selangor) to reach their workplaces and it would not be fair to penalize them.
The police say they will be reducing the number of roadblocks. They will be focusing on other security matters, especially at the borders and areas which are under Enhanced MCO.
Interstate travel, which remains forbidden, will be allowed from May 7 – 10 to allow those who have been trapped in other places to return to their homes which may be in other states. Only those who had earlier applied using the Gerak Malaysia mobile app and receive approval will be allowed to travel on the days specified by the police. Balik kampung journeys for the Hari Raya period are still not permitted.
For those who will be travelling long distances on the highways, be sure to bring along essential items as facilities at the R&Rs are closed, except for toilets. Petrol stations will be operating and their convenience stores have essential items and can also process tollcard top-ups. It would be a good idea to bring along facemasks and hand sanitizers to use along the way.
There’s been a lot of rain lately so drive carefully and allow a wider gap from the vehicle ahead if the roads are wet. Many cars have Day Running Lights nowadays but there’s no harm if you want to switch on the headlamps to make your vehicle more visible, especially in heavy rain. Remember to take rest breaks along the way if your journey distance is quite long.
