KUALA LUMPUR, March 17 — PKR vice president Rafizi Ramli today claimed it was now the worst time to make a living doing businesses in Malaysia, amid the worsening Covid-19 global pandemic.

Rafizi said Bursa Malaysia's benchmark index reaching its lowest in a decade at 1,280.63 meant that whatever savings the people have in Tabung Haji, Employees Provident Fund, Amanah Saham Nasional Berhad or unit trust are unlikely to yield returns this year.

He further added that businesses’ remaining cash will go towards sustaining staffs' payroll before sarcastically saying that it was the 'best' time to be a minister.

Business slows down. Whatever cash has to sustain payroll & staff.

"Best time to be a minister!" he said sarcastically on Twitter.

 

 

Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said yesterday Malaysia will effectively be hitting pause on all non-essential activities for two weeks from tomorrow (March 18) until March 31 to stop the spread of the Covid-19 virus under a nationwide movement control order.

This order covers the whole of Malaysia, with a ban on public gatherings including for any religious, sports, social and cultural events except for supermarkets, sundry goods stores, markets and other places selling daily necessities or things that people would need for their day-to-day lives.

This is the first time Malaysia has enforced such an order.

The order was made under the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988 and the Police Act 1967.