Sources: Govt might allow selected businesses in safe zones to resume operations

KUALA LUMPUR (April 8): The government is mulling to allow some of the non-essential businesses, especially those from manufacturing and services sectors, in green zones and areas with zero death cases to resume operations, Sinchew Daily reported today.

The report quoting sources said the non-essential but necessary services required by consumers, such as laundrettes, barber shops and car repair workshops, might be allowed to operate during Movement Control Order (MCO) period.

The government will announce new standard operating procedures (SOP) either later today or latest by tomorrow, said the daily press.

"Those that are permitted to resume operations must follow the instructions. The government is currently drafting the notice, please be patient," it added.

As at 12pm, April 7, there are only four green zones in peninsular Malaysia, and 25 in East Malaysia.

Alor Setar City Council (MPAS) had on April 1, allowed fertiliser and pest control shops, auto parts stores, hardware stores and pet shops to open during the MCO period, but only limited to two days a week.

During a media briefing yesterday, Senior Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri said that an SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) will be tabled to the special Cabinet committee meeting on Thursday (April 9), and the SOP might allow businesses to resume operations in green zones with certain conditions.

He stressed that it is important to weigh carefully on this, to prevent workers who are living in the red zones, who are likely to be virus carriers, to spread the virus to the green zones.

The sources who participated the cabinet meeting today, revealed that the meeting mainly focused on ways to restore the country’s economy, but whether the MCO will be extended was not discussed during the meeting.

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