Penang businesses eager to reopen in NRP Phase 2

 

Certain sectors of business and services in Penang allowed to resume operations as the state transitions to Phase 2 of the movement control under the National Recovery Plan (NRP) today are relieved and grateful to be able to do so.

Their eagerness wis unsurprising as they have not been able to operate since the movement control order (MCO) was implemented to curb the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Hasani Books & Stationery Malaysia manager Nor Mohd Faizal Abdul Wahid was ready to reopen his premises near Perai in Seberang Perai, the mainland portion of Penang, after being shut for over a month.

“We are in the process of doing an inventory check and cleaning work at the store before reopening tomorrow. So, hopefully after this, everything will go smoothly,” he said when contacted by Bernama yesterday.

Nor Faizal said throughout Phase 1, he received many calls from customers all in need of A4 paper, stationery, exercise books and reference materials as people continued working from home and online learning was ongoing.

“Many customers also complained because many necessities (stationery and books) could not be found (because shops were closed), in fact, offices, including vaccination centres, now need stationery, especially in areas under the EMCO,” he said.

Nor Faizal said he hoped that the government will list stationery shops and bookshops as essential services during the next phase of the NRP as such products are greatly needed.

Meanwhile, a motorcycle parts shop operator, who wished to be known as Ah Lin, said he was cleaning up his premises located near Bukit Tambun, Simpang Ampat, and updating orders he received online.

“Throughout the closure of my shop, we focused on online orders only. Although it was hard, we hope the shift to Phase 2 will bring some cheer to affected sectors,” he said.

On Monday, senior minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob announced that Penang would be allowed to move to Phase 2 of the NRP, effective today.

He said Penang had achieved a daily average infection case rate of 9.5 cases per 100,000, which was below the threshold of 12.2 cases per 100,000, one of the three key indicators marked out in the NRP.

In addition, the use of Intensive Care Unit ward beds had reached moderate levels and capacity evaluation for feedback was at a satisfactory level, in addition to the completed double dose vaccination rate for the adult population being over 10 percent, at 10.1 percent.

- Bernama