KUALA LUMPUR, July 20 — The whole nation will have to suffer the consequences if the people in the country start letting their guard down and showing the "I don’t care” attitude towards the need to comply with the standard operating procedures (SOP) at public places as advised by the government.

Social activist Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye said many were seen to have paid lesser attention to the SOP, especially in the use of face masks and in observing social distancing as the daily cases of Covid-19 showed an increasing trend.

"They began to care less now and they don’t want to do anything anymore. They know that they should wear face masks in public places, but many of them don’t.

"What’s more worrying, social distancing is no longer being observed. The one-metre distance has reduced to half-a-metre. This is very serious. We don’t want Covid-19 to return with the second wave,” he told Bernama when contacted today.

Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin in his special message on the latest development of the recovery movement control order (RMCO) today expressed his concerns over the detection of 13 new Covid-19 clusters during the RMCO period.

Worried about the return to double digits in new Covid-19 cases lately, Muhyiddin also hinted on the hardship the people and the country would have to endure if a lockdown is reimposed in the event of a surge in infections.

Describing the Prime Minister’s message as appropriate and timely, Lee also advised every Malaysian to remain responsible, disciplined, and continue to have self-control in fighting the pandemic.

"I see this as a serious situation, I hope the people can take seriously the call made by our prime minister because if the second wave occurs, the whole country will suffer,” he said.

In the same message, Muhyiddin also said that the government is mulling the idea of making it compulsory to use face masks in all public places and the details are being finalised.

The idea was fully supported by an infectious disease specialist and member of the Selangor Covid-19 task force, Datuk Dr Christopher Lee, who said that the use of face masks is indeed an important step to curb transmission of the disease in the society.

Unfortunately, he said the people are giving less and less attention to the need to wear face masks when going to public places, restaurants and shopping malls.

"We (government) hope all the people can give their cooperation and play their part so that we don’t have to go back to living under the MCO again. What the government is asking is not just to (wear face masks to) protect yourselves, but also to protect the people around you, around us all,” he said. — Bernama