More businesses allowed to operate

PETALING JAYA: The manufacturing of crucial products will be allowed to operate but subject to certain conditions, said the National Security Council (NSC).

These include companies manufacturing and importing critical products including food items such as rice, sugar, bread, and agricultural and fish.

Those producing household products such as hand sanitisers and toilet paper will also be allowed to continue operations, the NSC said in a statement.

It further clarified other businesses allowed to operate are those manufacturing personal protective equipment, pharmaceutical products, packaging and printing materials, medical and surgical devices, and components for medical equipment.

Other sectors exempted from the movement control order (MCO) include oil and gas, petrochemical products, chemical products, and electrical and electronic goods.

These sectors are listed as part of the supply chain in providing critical products to the public.

The NSC said it understands the challenges faced by the industry and welcomes their views regarding the MCO.

“The government is sympathetic and views seriously the challenges faced by the industry, and has taken into account the importance of the industrial sector during the time the MCO is implemented, ” it said.

The Primary Industries and Commodities Ministry has also relaxed movement restrictions for the sector due to its integral role in the supply of critical goods.

“The ministry has taken note of the importance of the oil palm and rubber industry to the supply chain related to the provision of essential goods, such as cooking oil, medical equipment such as gloves and catheters, ” it said in a statement.

Operations allowed to continue include the harvesting of oil palm by companies and smallholders, the processing of the oil palm fruit, rubber tapping, and logging activities.

The ministry, however, urged those involved in such operations to minimise the workforce deployed and to enforce social distancing among workers.

The NSC, however, said companies exempted from the MCO must cut down the number of employees by at least 50%.

Malaysian Rubber Glove Manufacturers Association (Margma) president Denis Low appealed to the government to allow rubber glove manufacturers to work at maximum capacity.

“Margma members have received enormous requests from 190 countries for more gloves to be supplied.

“We are able to ramp up more capacity provided the government gives us the green light, ” he said, adding that the demand amounts to about 225 billion pieces of gloves.

He added that as the Covid-19 outbreak worsens across many countries, rubber glove manufacturers must operate to ensure enough supply to combat the virus. - Star