by ASILA JALIL/ pic by BERNAMA

THE National Security Council (NSC) is in the final stage of developing a standard operating procedure (SOP) for green zone areas.

Defence Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said the SOP is being reviewed along with the Health Ministry (MoH) and Royal Malaysia Police and entails relaxed restrictions and regulations for those living in the areas.

“For example in gated areas such as People’s Public Housing or PPR, the residents are not allowed to leave their place for a month and if there are no symptoms (of Covid-19), then maybe they can go out, but their movements will still be restricted within the gated area. Maybe they can take their children for a walk in the area and there will be a time frame for each block,” he said in his daily press briefing yesterday.

He added that the NSC is getting input from all ministries to ensure a more thorough and holistic SOP.

The guidelines will be finalised next week before being announced to the public.

Regarding the operational hours for restaurants during the fasting month, Ismail Sabri said the current SOP remains where they are only allowed to operate from 8am until 8pm.

He, however, said suggestions for restaurants and food outlets to be opened until 10pm will be taken into consideration while the new SOP is being developed.

Commenting on the university students that have been stranded on campus since the Movement Control Order (MCO) was enforced, Ismail Sabri said students from Universiti Malaysia Perlis, Universiti Utara Malaysia, Universiti Sains Malaysia and Universiti Teknologi Mara in Merbok, Kedah, and Penang campuses would go back to their respective hometowns at midnight (April 28) while intra-zone travels for the students will begin today.

He added that the first batch of university students who were allowed to go back to their hometowns in the northern states had safely arrived at their respective destinations yesterday.

Meanwhile, Ismail Sabri said the government will consider allowing the Malaysian League to resume after the MCO ends if there are official requests made by the Youth and Sports Ministry or the Malaysian Football Association.

“Even if the MCO is lifted, we still have to adhere to the SOP in terms of public gatherings, which may still not be allowed by then,” he said.

He was informed that the league was supposed to be held in June but said it would be too soon to allow it to take place when the MCO had just been lifted for a month or two.

However, the government will take the matter into consideration if the league is scheduled to take place in October and the MCO ends in June.

“We still need to obtain advice from the MoH,” he added.