On the first anniversary yesterday of China confirming its first death from Covid-19, a pulverised Malaysia was poised to enter its second lockdown amid vague and confusing messaging.

An uninspiring address to the nation by Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin imparted a sense of panic – again.

A speech that was supposed to be a source of inspiration and reassurance at a time of crisis served up an unclear menu of stringent restrictions, leaving many frustrated.

Shell-shocked businesspeople, for one, felt they were trapped in a recurring nightmare.

Why? They have to wait until Senior Minister Ismail Sabri’s daily press briefing at 5pm today to find out how the latest lockdown will affect them.

That the specific details of constraints on businesses were left out of Muhyiddin Yassin’s grim speech, as was the case when the first lockdown was announced last March, is lamentable.

That the business community spent last night agonising over what to expect and having just a few hours until midnight today to plan their next move, saps the morale, goodwill and sense of purpose on which compliance depends.

Basic communications dictate that the government immediately specify the sectors that are allowed to operate and outline their operating protocols.

It is inexcusable to subject businesses and services to speculation and confusion.

Just as the legal fraternity wonders if courts would operate, ma and pa shops, hairdressing salons and a host of other businesses are in a bind.

They can be forgiven for thinking their businesses would be choked and more jobs would be cancelled during the two-week movement control order that begins on Wednesday.

While the lockdown is necessary, the uninspiring speech by Muhyiddin gave little confidence. It failed to address the mistakes that had been made in handling the crisis.

What we got was more waffle about the worst is yet to come and the vaccine.

We were reminded that national healthcare was bursting at the seams and that unprecedented measures were vital to contain the spread of the coronavirus.

Much of it was the same advice, including Muhyiddin’s maxim, “Just Stay Home”, physical distancing, work from home and no dine-in at restaurants.

Some of the unexplained issues:

• Does Putrajaya have a new approach to fight the virus?
• What are the government’s goals for this new cycle of MCOs?
• If the vaccine is ineffective, will society be able to function without the economy disintegrating?
• Will the measures under the second lockdown, much similar to the first one, work since the previous strategy failed?
• How are people able to get to work on public transport while staying two metres apart?
• What are the steps taken to stem the impact on mental illness, especially among the lonely and formerly healthy old?

Muhyiddin would do well to widen his base of advisers for the sake of long-term planning and consider more carefully the effects of his decisions.

It is a horrible world at the moment and the virus and its rate of infection is an unpredictable moving target.

The responsible ones, while worn out, know they have to make the best of what they can and cannot do while the coronavirus tears through the country.

When is the end? When everyone acts responsibly. As long as people keep flouting the rules, the nightmare will recur.

The tough restrictions will hurt but are needed. What is worrisome for many people is not the lockdown but the growing belief that the government has no exit plan and no ability to execute one.

The next 14 days are crucial if we want to get the virus under control, not just briefly, but in the longer term.

Muhyiddin and his team must use it to implement a measured plan for exit from lockdown this time.

They have to make us believe that they will do so. But they, and we, cannot afford more slip-ups.

The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of FMT.

CLICK HERE FOR OUR LIVE UPDATE OF THE COVID-19 SITUATION IN MALAYSIA