AS a full lockdown looms over the horizon, the Government announced that all economic and social sectors, apart from essential services, will be disallowed from operating.
“The list includes office areas, retail outlets, factories and shopping malls. As for malls, only businesses listed as essential service providers will be allowed to continue as usual at the premises.
“The measure is expected to reduce the number of those working actively from 15 million to 1.5 million,” Senior Minister (Security) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said, in a press conference.
Also present was Health Ministry director general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah.
The list of sectors allowed to operate is as follows:
- Food and beverage, including for animals (This includes health care and medicine including supplements, animal care and veterinary services)
- Energy sector
- Water services
- Security, defence, emergency services, welfare and other humanitarian matters
- Solid waste management, sanitisation and irrigation services
- Land, water and air transport services (This includes port, shipping and airport services)
- Communication services (This includes the media, telecommunications, Internet and postal services)
- Banking, insurance, takaful and stock market
- Pawnshops
- E-commerce and information communication technology
- Fuel and lubricant services
- Hotels (strictly for quarantine, isolation and essential services)
- Forestry services (enforcement and protection of wildlife)
- Construction sector (limited to critical projects only)
Touching on manufacturing, Ismail Sabri said that not all factories will be closed. However, those operating must be operating at the maximum of 60% capacity.
Among the factories that are allowed to operate as follows:
- Aerospace including maintenance, repair and overhaul
- Food and beverage products
- Healthcare and medical care products
- Those involved in the agriculture, fishery, plantation and commodity
The Bera MP remarked: “All businesses will be only allowed to operate between 8am until 8pm across the nation.” – May 30, 2021.
