CLAIM

A press release from National Security Council (NSC), Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) is being shared widely on WhatsApp by Indian users of the platform, assuming it is from PMO India.

The press release dated March 18, 2020, mentions that the government has declared a Restricted Movement Order from March 18 to 31, 2020, in view of the

pandemic.

“To ensure the effectiveness of the order, the general public is advised to stay home at all times except to fulfill basic needs. Apart from that, please practice social distancing to prevent being infected by COVID-19” mentions the press release.

Here are some of the screen grabs of the WhatsApp messages as received by the Times Fact Check and its team members:

None of the forwards categorically claim it to be from PMO India, but the header of the document combined with the missing ‘undersigned’ makes many presume it is from the PMO India.

TRUTH

The press release is from NSC, PMO Malaysia. It has got nothing to do with PMO India.

VERIFICATION AND METHODOLOGY

Going through the press note thoroughly, we found the last point mentioned in it said that Malaysians working in Singapore/Thailand/Brunei/Indonesia were not allowed.

Furthermore, the helpline number given in the press release (03-8888 2010) turned out to be from Malaysia.

Taking a cue from this, we used different keywords and found a news

dated March 17, 2020 from The Star titled ‘Restricted movement for 14 days’.

The report stated that a movement control order is going to be imposed in Malaysia from March 18, 2020 until March 31 to contain the Covid-19 outbreak. Quoting Malaysian PM

, the report said that measure was announced after he chaired the NSC.

Several other credible news outlets confirmed that such an order was in place in Malaysia.

VERDICT

Times Fact Check has found that a press release from PMO Malaysia regarding ‘movement control’ is being circulated widely by Indian WhatsApp users presuming it to be from PMO India.