PUTRAJAYA: Malaysians are starting to see the light at the end of the Covid-19 pandemic tunnel with its improving daily infection figures, says Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

       With that, the Prime Minister said people were now more ready to embrace the full reopening of sectors that had to be closed down when the country was under the Covid-19 lockdown.

       “Malaysians are starting to feel good when they look at the improving Covid-19 numbers. Cases are going down, while the R-nought infectivity rate is reducing.

       “Just imagine, not long ago, the cases were so bad in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor that we had no idea when we could reopen.

       “Now, it is possible to declare the endemic phase by December and to fully reopen all sectors.

       “So currently, there is a feel-good sentiment among the people,” he said during a recent interview with the media.

       Malaysia is expected to move to an endemic stage of the disease with people learning to “live with the virus” and sectors fully reopened.

       Ismail Sabri said the government was ready to allow interstate travel as soon as 90% of the adult population in Malaysia were fully vaccinated.

       Currently, 86% of adults in the country have completed the vaccination process.

       After the reopening of interstate travel, Ismail Sabri said the country’s borders would be next.

       “Most Malaysians care about interstate travel more, because being able to travel abroad is more of a ‘kayangan’ thing. Only people with money care about that.

       “But the general folks care more about going back to their home states and seeing their elderly parents and families.

       “So we will allow this as soon as we pass the 90% mark,” he said.

       Ismail Sabri also spoke about his Malaysian Family concept which he chose to adopt after becoming Prime Minister.

       “The Malaysian Family concept is about inclusivity. Family is important to me as I’m quite family-oriented.

       “The concept is meant to unify all Malaysians whether they are in the city, towns, rural areas, villages, whether they are civil servants, youths, traders, persons with disabilities, students.”

       Ismail Sabri, who is Umno vice-president, spoke about how an experience while campaigning at the Kimanis by-election in Sabah showed him the importance of family unity.

       “There was this Chinese woman whose child and in-law are Muslims while her other child is a Christian.

       “They still had Chinese New Year decorations up in the house at that time.

       “Because of family togetherness, even race and religion could not separate them and they can live harmoniously together.

       “With family, we will devote ourselves to protecting each other and taking care of everyone. This is what I want with the Malaysian Family concept,” he said.