MUAR: With the increasing number of Covid-19 cases, political parties have started imposing tighter standard operating procedures (SOP) to reduce the size of crowds in their events.

       This included the launch of Barisan Nasional northern Johor election machinery held at the Kompleks Pekembar Pagoh here.

       Only those with a special tag from the organising committee were allowed to enter the hall where the event was being held.

       Others were told to witness the ceremony from outside the hall where a large screen displayed a live recording of the event.

       Members of the press were also not allowed to enter the hall.

       This is a huge contrast to the huge crowd at an indoor stadium in Iskandar Puteri on Friday (Feb 4) during a similar launch.

       In a tweet on Sunday (Feb 6), Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said 10,089 cases were recorded, taking the cumulative total to 2,914,220.

       In another tweet, Dr Noor Hisham gave a more alarming number, saying daily Covid-19 cases could reach 22,000 a day by the end of March if the infectivity level (R0) remains at 1.2.