Schools were closed and social and religious activities were banned.
In response, the Prime Minister of Malaysia assured people in a televised speech on 16 March that the supply of food, daily essentials and healthcare including surgical masks , were sufficient nationwide, adding that the would be monitoring the and the daily demand of markets during the control order.
On 15 April, the Defence Minister announced that the police would be criminally prosecuting violators and detained them in thirteen police academies that had been converted into makeshift detention centres.