The Malaysian government is considering whether to go with jail time for those refusing to "mask up" once the use of face masks is made mandatory in public places, The Straits Times reports, citing the Health Director-General Hisham Abdullah.
"We are encouraging the use of face masks, especially in public places, high-risk places or places where social distancing of one metre apart is hard to enforce," he noted. He recalled that "while the relevant mandatory rule is not in force in Malaysia, but when it is introduced, violators face a fine of 1 thousand ringgit ($235) or imprisonment for several months."
According to him, "according to the recommendations of specialists, wearing masks can reduce the risk of infection by 65%."
According to the latest data, the number of people infected with the coronavirus in Malaysia exceeds 8.8 thousand people. For almost a month, the country has seen a downward trend in the number of new cases, but in the past week, there has been an increase again, which is calculated in double digits per day. The main restrictions imposed due to the March 18 pandemic were lifted from June 10, including the lifting of the ban on movement between cities and states, and the restoration of air traffic.
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Based on materials from TASS