E-commerce, hotels added to list of essential services

KUALA LUMPUR (March 18): E-commerce, hotels and accommodation have been added to the list of essential services that will continue to operate during the nationwide movement restriction order that is enforced from today until March 31.

The Federal Government Gazette now lists 22 categories of essential services, namely:

1  Banking and finance

2  Electricity and energy

3  Fire

4  Port, dock and airport services and undertakings, including stevedoring, lighterage, cargo handling, pilotage and storing or bulking of commodities

5  Postal

6  Prison

7  Production, refining, storage, supply and distribution of fuel and lubricants

8  Healthcare and medical

9  Solid waste management and public cleansing

10 Sewerage

11 Radio communication including broadcasting, and television

12 Telecommunication

13 Transport by land, water or air

14 Water

15 E-commerce

16 Defence and security

17 Food supply

18 Wildlife

19 Immigration

20 Customs

21 Hotels and accommodations

22 Any services or works determined by the Health Minister as essential or critical to public health or safety

These designations come under the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases (Measures Within the Infected Local Areas) Regulations 2020, which also includes restrictions on movements of people residing in Malaysia in a bid to curb the Covid-19 outbreak.

The regulations prohibit travelling except to perform official duties; purchase, supply or deliver food or daily necessities; or seek healthcare or medical services.

These include visiting premises providing essential services and food and other special purposes that may be permitted by the director-general of health.

The gazette also reinforces the ban on gatherings for any purposes, except for funerals, but the number of attendees must be kept to a minimum.

In addition, it also stated that those requiring inter-state travel may do so only with prior written permission of a police officer in charge of a police station.

Inspector General of Police Tan Sri Abdul Hamid Bador had clarified this morning that the inter-state travel prohibition remains in place, with exceptions for cases involving the death of a close family member, critical illness of a close relative, the requirement of medical treatment for themselves or a close family member, and other situations which will be evaluated by the police.

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