Miao Zhang, Xiamen University: As of 25 November 2020, Malaysia has reported a total of 60,752 confirmed cases of COVID-19. The first wave (from 25 January to 16 February) and second wave (from 27 February to 30 June) saw a total of 10,219 infections. The highest number of confirmed cases (50,533) was recorded in the current and third wave, which had been occurring since 25 September. Despite its relatively good management of the pandemic in the early stages, this sudden rise in the number of infections recently has sharpened the urgency for the Malaysian government to enforce more effective measures to level the current wave of the pandemic. While the government faces great challenges in managing the public health crisis, it must also try to strike a balance between lost lives and lost livelihoods, which is especially pertinent for the relatively small and open economy of Malaysia.
Against this backdrop,...