SMALL and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) as well as micro businesses are advised to prepare themselves for the possibility of operating under stricter standard operating procedures (SOPs), should another nationwide movement control order (MCO 3.0) takes effect.
The Minister of Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Datuk Sri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar urged businesses to make the necessary arrangements to ensure their operations comply with safety SOPs and be at least halfway through their digitisation journey.
This includes making sure their premise is equipped with QR Code, thermometer, hand sanitizers as well as ensuring that their customers too strictly follow the safety SOPs.
“We have been in this situation for almost two years and by now business owners should already take all the necessary measures to ensure that their operations are able to operate in a post COVID-19 environment,” he said.
Fearing that the Government may not have much of a choice but to enforce a lockdown, Junaidi strongly believes that the action will consequently have an adverse impact on the country’s economy.
During the first MCO, it was estimated that the country suffered daily losses amounting to RM2.4 bil, while the second round of MCO recorded a daily loss of RM300 mil.
“Our economy has yet to recover from the earlier lockdowns. We can see people are struggling, businesses are struggling.
“We need your support to bring the numbers down. To do this, it is important for everyone to take the SOPs seriously. Don’t just follow it because you are afraid of the authority but because it is part of your responsibility to keep the country and the people safe,” he added. – May 22, 2021
