KUALA LUMPUR FEB.9: The government has decided to allow two persons a table to dine in a restaurant effective 10th February (tomorrow) and it is one of the 18 retail businesses permitted to be carried out during the enforcement of Movement Control Order (MCO) that will end on 18th February 2021.
Senior and Defence Minister, Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said, the sales of food is now allowed via dine-in, pack and go, drive through or home delivery from 6am until 10pm.
Ismail said, the dine-in only allows two persons at a table with physical distance at least one meter and the restaurant owner have to assign its staff for the entries and exits of customers at the premises besides ensuring physical distance of one meter is adhered to and to limit the presence of customers at any one time.
“The government has allowed the retail businesses to convene based on the data collected from the Ministry of Health (MOH) and National Security Council (NSC) that shows these sectors does not contribute to the COVID-19 clusters.
“The government has also taken into consideration that many people have lost their jobs in these sectors and lost their incomes due to the businesses that had been stopped from operating.
“Permissions have been given following strict standard operating procedures (SOP). However if there is a new COVID-19 case recorded at the premises involved then the business operations will be stopped and closed with immediate effect,” said Ismail at a press conference held here today.
The opening of the 18 retail businesses include: Garment shops/fashion and accessories; shoes, photography accessories/photography services; used products; flower/nursery; handcraft and souvenirs; antiques; toys; carpets, creative contents/ equipments for creative industry; outdoor; sport equipments; home equipments and kitchen facilities; cosmetics, skin care and perfume; tobacco; car accessories; and Ar-Rahnu.
Ismail added, for the garment shop, the owner of the premises should offer disposable gloves to the customers to select their clothes while for cosmetic shop, skin care and perfume only sales activities are allowed. Discussion via face to face and the use of cosmetic testers are not permitted.
For photography accessory shop/ photography services, only one customer and a photographer could use the studio. The studio could only be used for passport, visa and license services only.
The permits for these sectors will start on 10th February 2021.
In another development, Ismail said, the special meeting had also agreed that My Sejahtera application should be made compulsory in areas with wide internet reach.
“My Sejahtera is made compulsory because customers did not write their names and telephone numbers correctly and this has made the contact tracing difficult if there is positive COVID-19 detected in the premises involved,” said Ismail.
However he said, exemptions are given to areas without good internet reach especially in villages and remote areas.
Ismail also announced the Enhanced Movement Control Order (EMCO) that was imposed at the Dungun Correctional Centre and staff quarters, Kampung Orang Asli Batu 6, Jalan Pahang, Perak and the Detention Transit Centre Marang Prison will be lifted on 10th February 2021.
On the non-compliance of the MCO 2.0 SOPs, Ismail said, 710 had been detained with 701 compounded, 41 individuals remanded and three were on bails.
Among the non-compliance activities committed include no physical distancing (156); inter- state/district without permission (151); not wearing face mask (129); fail to provide tools/record particulars of customers (112); premises operating over the time permitted (57), activities at the entertainment centres (130) and others (127).-Malaysia World News
