PUTRAJAYA is expediting applications from packaging manufacturers to restart operations so food supplies are not disrupted during the movement control order.

This comes as food manufacturers told The Malaysian Insight that they are running out of boxes, cartons and bags needed to pack their products.

Although food makers have been allowed to continue operations during the control order, from March 18 to 31, the factories that produce packaging for them have been ordered to shut down.

These packaging manufacturers have applied to the International Trade and Industry Ministry (Miti) to restart operations to meet the demands of food suppliers.

However, they are still waiting for a response.

A ministry spokesman told The Malaysian Insight that Miti has received thousands of applications from companies to resume operations during the control order.

The ministry said it has been working 24 hours since the start of the order to vet and grant approvals.

“We are doing our best to expedite these applications from packaging manufacturers but approval will only be given if they meet the conditions,” the spokesman said in a statement to The Malaysian Insight.

During the control order, the National Security Council (NSC) has allowed businesses and government agencies classified as “essential” to operate.

The partial shutdown of businesses is to minimise contact between individuals to curb the spread of the deadly coronavirus.

To date, six people in Malaysia have died from Covid-19 while infections have risen to 1,183 nationwide.

Some 37 patients are in the intensive care while 114 individuals have recovered and discharged from hospitals.

Among the essential services allowed to operate include food manufacturers, farms, restaurants and hawkers but producers of packaging were left out.

Food factories told The Malaysian Insight that they only have enough packaging to last until next week because their supplies have not been replenished.

The NSC has allowed manufacturers who are not listed as “essential” but who have been affected by the shutdown to apply for an exemption.

But in order to resume operations, factories have to meet certain conditions which include:

• slashing their work force by 50% and providing the government with a list of staff on duty;
• perform and record temperature checks on each worker at the start of the work day;
• workers must use face masks and hand sanitisers must be provided at the factory;
• work places and assembly lines must be sanitised before the start of each shift; and
• paying for treatment costs of every worker who infected by Covid-19 and the cost of disinfecting the whole factory. – March 22, 2020.