Shopping malls will be closed, except for supermarkets, healthcare services and eateries that serve only takeaways

by LYDIA NATHAN / pic by HUSSEIN SHAHARUDDIN

ALL economic and social activities will not be allowed during the lockdown period from tomorrow, except for 17 services that have been deemed essential.

Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said these include logistics, food and beverages, healthcare services including veterinary, banks, transportation and businesses deemed vital for the country.

Construction, repair works, agriculture, fisheries will be allowed, together with wholesalers and suppliers for essential items. The hotel and accommodation industry can operate, Ismail Sabri said, but for quarantine and isolation purposes only, and not tourism.

Shopping malls will be closed, except for supermarkets, healthcare services and eateries within the malls that serve only takeaways.

“Essential services will only be allowed to operate until 8pm and although there is no curfew this time, we encourage people to stay at home if you have no reasons to be out after that time.”

Additionally, Ismail Sabri said only 12 sectors of the manufacturing industry can operate with a 60% capacity in factories.

“These services also have been categorised as essential and will need to operate and function for the wellbeing of its industry. This will go into force under strict standard operating procedures (SOPs).”

Meanwhile, only two persons including the driver will be permitted to travel in private vehicles.

“For those needing to buy daily necessities, two persons will be allowed to travel within a 10km radius from the home. And for those who need to travel for vaccination purposes, it will be allowed but proof of the vaccination date will need to be shown.

“Transportation ferrying workers like vans and buses can only carry passengers with a 50% capacity and nothing more,” Ismail Sabri said.

He reminded those with letters allowing travel from the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MITI) will need new ones, as the current ones will remain valid until May 31, 2021.

He also said the public need to be truthful when applying for permission to travel for emergencies.

“As seen from the Hari Raya clusters, there were many who were angry and complained about the roadblocks.

“In the end, there were some 200,000 who got through and went visiting for various reasons, resulting in a surge of cases and in some cases, the death of family members,” he said, adding that the people need to help the nation and its frontliners who are struggling to survive today due to the heavy load of cases.

“With the efforts to tackle this while limiting the number of employees from 15 million to just 1.5 million right now, and if everyone is compliant to instructions and regulations going into this lockdown, we can curb the spread drastically,” Ismail Sabri said.

Meanwhile, MITI in a separate statement said that 18 manufacturing and manufacturing-related services sectors are allowed to operate during the lockdown period.

However, it is still subject to the companies getting an approval letter from the ministry, which can be downloaded from the Covid-19 Intelligent Management System 3.0.

Thirteen of the sectors are allowed to operate at 60% workforce capacity, while the remaining five are permitted to operate at 10% workforce.

The sectors allowed to operate at 60% workforce capacity are aerospace including maintenance, repair and overhaul; food and beverages; packaging and printing materials; personal care products and cleaning supplies; healthcare and medical care including dietary supplement; personal protective equipment (PPE) including rubber gloves and fire safety equipment; medical equipment components; electrical and electronics; oil and gas, including petrochemical and petrochemical products; chemical products; machinery and equipment; textiles for manufacturing of PPE only; and production, distillation, storage, supply and distribution of fuels and lubricants.

Meanwhile, the five sectors allowed to operate with 10% workforce are automotive (vehicles and components); iron and steel; cement; glass; and ceramics.