“Initially, only 95,142 were considered ‘essential’. Not long after that, the number rose to 128,150.

“The day after tomorrow, who knows how many more businesses will be categorised as essential?” he said in a Facebook post.

Zahid also questioned if the figure included factories that lied in their applications to the international trade and industry ministry.

He said it could also involve “non-essential” companies that were operating secretly, following several complaints on their activities on social media.

“Investigate and act fast to address these issues. Fourteen days is not that long. We need to win (the fight against Covid-19).”

However, Zahid said it was also unfair to lay all the blame on business operators and factories as many were at risk of bankruptcy or closing down, which would cause many more employees to lose their jobs.

“This is especially so for the self-employed, daily wage earners and petty traders. Some face pay cuts by their employers.

“They lack proper assistance to be able to sit quietly at home during this ‘semi lockdown’.”

Zahid said people would be able to practise “self-lockdowns” if there was a more inclusive moratorium, reduction in loan instalments and a second i-Sinar withdrawal programme from the Employees Provident Fund.