Government eases more MCO restrictions

by HARIZAH KAMEL / pic by TMR FILE

THE government has given several more leeway for the various movement restrictions in the country.

Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said in states under the Movement Control Order (MCO) namely Selangor, Kuala Lumpur (KL), Penang and Johor, businesses like spas, reflexology, massage and wellness centres remain prohibited, but for states under the Conditional MCO (CMCO) and Recovery MCO (RMCO), these premises can resume business.

“Many are still confused and I would like to clarify that the retail sector including bookstores and car boot sales can now operate, adhering to the new standard operating procedures (SOPs),” the minister said in a press conference yesterday.

The two-per-table ruling when dining-in is no longer in force as customers are now allowed to sit according to the capacity of the table with one-metre physical distancing effective today.

Ismail Sabri said the same rule applies to the number of passengers in vehicles in all states.

Wedding ceremonies are allowed but must adhere to the states’ SOPs, while the SOPs for non-Muslim couples will be announced by the National Unity Ministry soon.

Seminars, workshops, courses, training, conferences, meetings, trade exhibitions and all activities related to meeting, incentives, conventions and exhibitions, as well as any kind of social events and gatherings are only allowed in CMCO and RMCO states at 50% capacity of the premises.

As for tourism and cultural activities, Ismail Sabri said activities in MCO and Enhanced MCO (EMCO) states are still prohibited.

Public tourist attractions such as zoos and edutainment centres, as well as art, culture and heritage premises like museums can operate in CMCO and RMCO states.

Meanwhile, Ismail Sabri announced that the EMCO in Kampung Sebako 1 and 2 in Lundu, Sarawak, has ended as scheduled, while the EMCO in Sekolah Menengah Sultan Idris Shah II in Gerik, Perak, will be extended to March 1.

On MCO violations, 463 individuals were arrested of which 440 were compounded, 22 individuals were remanded and one given bail.

The offences included failure to comply with physical distancing (161), crossing state and district lines without permission (96), not wearing face masks (75) and failure to record customer details (82).

Malaysia recorded the highest number of Covid-19 deaths yesterday with 25 cases. The country’s death toll has now reached 1,030. Health DG Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said the casualties involved 15 cases in Selangor, three cases each in Sarawak and Sabah, two cases in KL, as well as one case each in Johor and Putrajaya.

“Twenty-one of the deceased were citizens and four were non-citizens,” he said in a statement yesterday.

Malaysia also recorded a high number of recoveries at 5,320, bringing the total to 229,762.

There were 2,712 new cases yesterday, bringing the cumulative cases to 274,875. Of the new cases, 2,708 were local transmissions while four were imported cases.

Of the 38,763 active cases, 227 are in intensive care units with 103 requiring respiratory aid.

Selangor topped the chart again with 1,013 new cases, followed by Johor (426) and KL (212).

Seventeen new clusters were identified where 14 were workplace-related.

Read our previous report here