Starting August 1st, Malaysians will be joining their counterparts in places such as Singapore, Hong Kong, Vietnam, and Victoria in Australia where face masks are mandatory in public spaces to stem the tide of Covid-19 infections, The Star reported.
It said those who do not comply with the new rule will face a fine of up to RM1,000 (about 7,00o baht)
According to the paper, during the height of the Covid-19 outbreak here in March, face masks were only required for frontliners such as healthcare workers and those with symptoms of the virus.
But as cases started to re-emerge following the easing of the movement control order to the recovery phase, Senior Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob on July 23 announced that face masks would be made compulsory after there was an increase in Covid-19 cases.
Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah had said that the use of face masks would be mandatory at crowded public places.
He added that the long-term plan was to eventually get everyone to wear a face mask once they stepped out of the house.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has advised people to wear a face mask in public where there is a community transmission and when social distancing is not possible.
