KUALA LUMPUR, March 17 — Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s speech last night about a two-week order to restrict the public’s movement nationwide will be crucial to efforts to halt the spread of the Covid-19 infection, Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said today.

In a Facebook post this morning, Dr Noor Hisham also posted a photo of what appears to be him standing on the bylines while Muhyiddin delivered his speech that was broadcast live last night.

"History in the making; The speech given by PM Tan Sri Muhyiddin will prove to be of historical importance to public health particularly on the implementation of lockdown defined as a state of isolation or restricted access instituted for security measures to break the chain of Covid-19 infection.

"This comes under the Public Health Act 342, that is the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988,” he wrote on Facebook.

Dr Noor Hisham said the Health Ministry will continue all efforts to stop the spread of Covid-19, but urged Malaysians to also play their part.

"MoH will continue to monitor and step up our action to break the chain of transmission of Covid-19 amongst individuals and communities. More importantly, the public will be continuously updated.

"The public is also advised that Covid-19 prevention and control measures must be taken seriously. Public health responsibility is not only on the shoulders of MoH, each and everyone of us have a role to play. Please take all the necessary precautionary measures and maintain good personal hygiene. May almighty bless us all,” he added.

Muhyiddin’s announcement last night about the two-week order set to start from tomorrow until March 31 came after a spike in Covid-19 cases in Malaysia, with many of the fresh cases linked to a mass religious gathering at the Sri Petaling mosque in Kuala Lumpur that was held from February 27 to March 1.

Muhyiddin’s speech, which was delivered in Malay, did not use the word "lockdown”.^[a]

As of yesterday, the number of confirmed Covid-19 cases in Malaysia rose to a total of 553 cases, including 511 still under treatment, 42 already fully recovered and zero deaths. Out of the 553 cases, 338 cases are linked to the Sri Petaling mosque event.

As of yesterday, Dr Noor Hisham said the Health Ministry has managed to trace 8,786 participants of the mosque event with 3,439 of them having had their samples taken for tests. That event was attended by an estimated 16,000 individuals including 14,500 Malaysians.

The government’s two-week order that limits the public’s movements will ban all public gatherings and involve a shutdown of all education facilities, places of worship, all shops and services in order to stop Covid-19 from spreading further, but will allow essential services and stores selling daily necessities to continue operating to provide for the public’s needs.

Even before this two-week order, the government had previously already urged for the postponement of mass gatherings, and had already advised Malaysians to practise social distancing or staying at least one metre apart from each other to help slow the spread of Covid-19.