 The study analyzed 120 media statements, and 382 comments retrieved from Facebook pages of two Malaysian newspapers during the first implementation of movement control order by the government, using content analysis to categorize image repair strategies employed in government communications related to COVID-19 crisis. The results showed that the government utilized all five image repair theory strategies, with reducing offensiveness being the most common strategy. The study also found multiple substrate geese in government media statements, and a significant positive association between image repair strategies utilized by the government and public opinion. This article was authored by Nassai Masngut and Emma Mohamed.