Malaysia starts two-week isolation to rein in coronavirus

By Ebrahim Harris and Daveena Kaur
KUALA LUMPUR, March 18 (Reuters) - Malaysia went into a
two-week partial lockdown on Wednesday after coronavirus
infections in the country spiked to the highest in Southeast
Asia, with some buyers rushing to supermarkets to stock up on
essentials like instant noodles.
Malaysia and the Philippines, which has quarantined about
half its 107 million population, have imposed the toughest
restrictions on movements of people in Southeast Asia, causing
early confusion and chaos, though capital markets in both
countries will stay open.
Hours before the movement curbs kicked in at midnight in
Malaysia, thousands of people queued up at bus stations to go
back to their hometowns. Hordes of Malaysians who commute daily
to Singapore for work crossed the border to spend the next two
weeks there.
Roads in the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur, normally some
of the most congested in Southeast Asia on weekdays, were
largely clear on Wednesday morning. Some cafes and restaurants
opened, but customers were allowed only takeaway food.
Big supermarket chains such as Mydin put in measures
including special shopping slots and cashier lanes for the
elderly and disabled and limited the purchases of staples such
as rice, flour, cooking oil, hand sanitisers and disinfectants.
"People coming and rushing is still going to see the disease
spread, said Ahmad Fauzi, 60, who had been up early to shop to
avoid the crowds. "They should be more calm."
Malaysia reported its first two coronavirus deaths on
Tuesday, including a man who attended a mass Muslim gathering
linked to nearly two-thirds of the country's 673 infections.
Mydin Managing Director Ameer Ali Mydin told Reuters that
supply was adequate at his chain of store but that "people must
understand that they cannot be too selective".
The government of Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, who took
office only this month, has assured there is enough stock of
essentials for the country of 32 million people.
He has shut Malaysia's borders for travellers, restricted
internal movement, closed schools and universities and ordered
non-essential businesses to stay out.
Neighbouring Thailand has announced the closure of schools,
bars, movie theatres, cockfighting arenas and other
entertainment centres.
(Interactive graphic tracking global spread of coronavirus:
open https://tmsnrt.rs/3aIRuz7 in an external browser)


(Editing by Michael Perry)