TANGKAK: The government will look at various factors, including the number of Covid-19 cases and intervention measures, before deciding if the country can move on to the second phase of the National Recovery Plan.

       Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said although the government has set targets, such as the date, duration, rate and number of cases as well as the vaccination process and bed capacity in intensive care units, for the various phases under the plan, the actual situation was constantly changing.

       “We have to understand the changing situation. Because of that, we can make little adjustments to the plan.

       “This will later be decided at the National Security Council meeting – which I chair– to assess the situation, ” he said after visiting the vaccination centre at Dewan Muafakat Johor Gambir here yesterday.

       Muhyiddin was responding to a question on whether the government planned to move on to the next phase in the plan with less than a week to go before the lockdown ends on June 28, with the number of daily new cases still above 4, 000.

       Under Phase Two, more economic activities will be allowed and 80% capacity would be permitted at workplaces.

       The government, said Muhyiddin, was constantly monitoring developments through the Health Ministry and the entire existing system to ensure that intervention measures can be carried out.

       “For example, the data is still a little high. We want to reduce it to below 4, 000 cases. Today, (there were) 4, 743 cases, so it’s not far from the target.

       “We want to see what intervention the ministry and all existing systems (can do) to control the situation, but that alone is not enough without people complying with the standard operating procedure.

       “(It’s) not only the community but factories as well, ” he said.

       Muhyiddin also stressed the importance of speeding up the vaccination rate to allow for more control of the situation and to reduce the number of Covid-19 cases as quickly as possible.

       “We only have a few days left (before June 28). If the rate of cases can go down again – meaning follow the schedule we expect – then we will move on to the second phase (of the National Recovery Plan).

       “So, because of that, we will not make an announcement now. Usually, we will give a space of another two or three days – either we will continue or we will move on (to the next phase), ” he said.