The Klang Valley - which has been the epicentre of the Covid-19 outbreak in Malaysia for months - will finally enter Phase 2 of the National Recovery Plan (NRP) on Friday.
The announcement was made by Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob following a National Security Council (NSC) meeting today.
“The decision was made following the Health Ministry and the NSC’s current risk assessments and will come into force on Sept 10,” he said.
Among others, this would mean fully vaccinated individuals will be allowed to travel freely between Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya; as these regions are considered a single “infection zone” rather than separate states for purposes of the NRP, and are hence not affected by interstate travel restrictions that are still in place
Generally, the move to Phase 2 will allow more businesses to resume operations and for those already allowed to operate under Phase 1 to continue with more employees to be physically present at work. The specific details differ sector-by-sector.
Hotels and homestays are allowed to cater to fully vaccinated individuals in Phase 2 areas, although travellers may not cross state boundaries in doing so.
The move will also pave way for face-to-face lessons to resume for exam-year students in the Klang Valley on Oct 3.
However, social gatherings are still not allowed until a state or territory moves into Phase 4 of the NRP.
Some indoor sports allowed
In addition to these, Ismail Sabri said the NSC has also decided to allow indoor sports to resume for fully vaccinated individuals in states that would still be under Phase 1, namely Kedah and Johor.
However, this leniency will not be extended to gymnasiums, which would remain closed.
“Closed (indoor) sports and recreational facilities are allowed to operate with controls in place, limited to customers who have completed their vaccinations. The use of facilities need to be done by appointment, in addition to following standard operating procedures (SOPs),” he said.
Likewise, trade and distribution, flower shops and nurseries, outdoor equipment shops, and property galleries are allowed to operate in Phase 1 states starting Sept 10.
As for states under Phase 2 and Phase 3 of the NRP, Ismail Sabri said there will be additional leniencies for barbershops, hairdressers, and beauty salons.
“Details of the latest SOPs will be updated by the NSC and the relevant ministries,” he said.
Travel bubble for Labuan
Meanwhile, Federal Territories Minister Shahidan Kassim said a travel bubble will be set up for Labuan like the one previously announced for Langkawi.
The news portal Wilayahku quoted him telling a press conference in Kuala Lumpur that the travel bubble will come into effect on Sept 16.
Last week, Ismail Sabri had said Langkawi will be opened for domestic tourism as a pilot project beginning Sept 16, which coincides with Malaysia Day celebrations.
He had said that other tourist destinations will be allowed to open once the local vaccination rates reach 80 percent.
Labuan had previously suffered a severe outbreak of Delta variant cases before the rest of the country, to which the government responded with a series of lockdowns and a mass vaccination campaign that primarily used the Pfizer vaccine.
The territory has since made a dramatic recovery from having the highest number of Covid-19 deaths per capita in the country to having none at all for more than a month.
It is the only region that is under Phase 4 of the NRP, which allows nearly all economic and social activities to resume. - Mkini
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