Malaysia’s COVID-19 Response – the Next Steps
MALAYSIA STUDIES PROGRAMME WEBINAR
About the Webinar
Malaysia implemented the Movement Control Order (MCO) on 18th March 2020 to combat the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the regulations, Malaysians were only permitted to leave their homes when purchasing essential groceries, and inter-state travel was prohibited. By mid-April, COVID-19 infections declined to fewer than one hundred new cases per day. And, two months later, the government is transitioning towards a new pandemic management regime. In this seminar, Dr Azrul Mohd Khalib will analyse the public health considerations leading to the implementation of the MCO, provide his perspective on how the Malaysian government tackled the COVID-19 pandemic, and lay out options for future policy responses.
Beyond the health dimension, the COVID-19 pandemic also has far-reaching economic implications. Given that most businesses ceased to operate during the MCO, the Malaysian economy is expected to grow at a much slower pace this year. Business sentiment has fallen sharply in recent months while job losses are expected to rise. The ruling Perikatan Nasional administration has unveiled four stimulus packages to assist businesses, with the latest RM35 billion package announced earlier this month. Nadia Jalil will share her opinions on the extent of economic damage as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic, and Malaysia’s upcoming economic outlook. She will also provide her perspective on the stimulus packages, as well as policy options to revitalise the economy.
About the Speakers
Azrul Mohd Khalib is the founder and Chief Executive for the Galen Centre for Health and Social Policy, an independent public policy research and advocacy think tank working to improve the delivery of health services and social care in Malaysia. He has been a health and development programme specialist for almost two decades, specifically on public health, HIV/AIDS, reproductive health, gender-based violence, and humanitarian assistance. He has previously been with the International Planned Parenthood Federation, Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS, and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
Intan Nadia Jalil is the Chief Executive Officer for PNB Research Institute, the research arm of Permodalan Nasional Berhad (PNB). Prior to assuming her present role at PNB Research Institute, Nadia Jalil was an Associate Director at the Malaysian Aviation Commission, and has also worked at the Khazanah Research Institute, the Malaysia office of the World Bank, and Khazanah Nasional. She is an economics undergraduate from the University of Cambridge, and completed her Master’s degree at the London School of Economies and Political Science.
Registration
This webinar will be delivered online entirely. You can join the webinar at the specified date and time using devices (computer, phone, or tablet) with internet connection.
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3. Click on the unique link in your email.
For the best experience, please mute your microphone. If you have questions for the speakers, please key in your questions via the Q&A, stating your name and affiliation. The moderator will field them to the speakers during the Q&A session.