ONLY three states are set to follow the Federal Territories in allowing businesses to operate under the relaxed conditional movement control order, as announced by Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin on Friday.

The other three states that have agreed to allow economic sectors to kickstart, with conditions, are Perlis, Malacca and Terengganu.

Perlis, however, is also looking at a stricter standard operating procedure it plans to announce on Tuesday.

Under the eased restrictions, businesses can operate as usual, restaurants can offer dine-in services while people can partake in outdoor exercises. However, they will have to adhere to strict health and hygienic practices. People are also only allowed to leave their home for work, and return home straight after work.

Two other states – Selangor and Perak – have, meanwhile, tweaked the conditional MCO with stricter conditions to ensure the spread of Covid-19 is better curbed.

Their version includes barring dine-in services in restaurants, and sporting activities.

The rest of the states, however, have decided not to implement the conditional MCO, or have postponed its implementation to allow for better preparation to meet standard operating procedures.

These states will maintain allowing the economic sectors already operating in the current MCO to continue.

Sarawak was the first state to decide not to implement the conditional MCO, saying it would decide what was good for its people.

Sabah, likewise, decided to retain the MCO, set to end on May 12, and decide on opening up its economic sectors then.

Kedah, Johor, Pahang and Kelantan, meanwhile, have delayed the implementation of conditional MCO. The Johor security council will meet tomorrow to make a decision while Kedah’s security council will meet on Tuesday.

Pahang will make its decision at a weekly exco meeting on Friday while Kelantan will decide on Thursday.

Penang, too, has postponed implementation of the conditional MCO until it prepares a comprehensive guideline and will start opening its economic sectors next week.

In Perak, the relaxed restrictions will be limited to increased hours of operations for food outlets, but this is confined to takeaways and delivery services only.

However, state government offices will operate as per usual from tomorrow.

Tweaks in Selangor

In Selangor, the state government has decided to implement the conditional MCO, but with its own amendments that include limited operating hours for restaurants and not allowing dine-in services.

Restaurants and other food outlets can only offer takeaways and delivery services.

Selangor Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari had said while the state will adhere to the conditional MCO as announced by Muhyiddin, it will add its own amendments for businesses in the state to follow.

Amirudin also said that roadside food operators and food trucks will only be allowed to operate after May 12 to allow local councils and business owners to prepare for social-distancing measures and contact-tracing procedures to be put in place.

The state, however, said night markets, morning markets, carnivals and Ramadan bazaars will not be allowed to operate as stipulated by the federal government.

Muhyiddin had announced that restaurants and all other types of food outlets could resume operations from Monday, including serving dine-in customers on the condition that operators ensure social distancing between patrons and good hygienic practices are observed. Business owners must also collect the contact details of their patrons in case they need to be contacted for health screenings.

On other sectors, Amirudin said Selangor will allow construction work to proceed at maximum capacity but added construction firms must first provide a detailed Covid-19 prevention plan to the local authorities.

“People are also allowed to exercise in open areas and community parks but maintain social distancing.

“However, activities in public parks, such as Tasik Shah Alam, Taman Jaya and Tasik Cempaka, are not allowed.

“All recreational and sports facilities, such as swimming pools and gymnasiums, will remain closed. Hiking activities in places such as Bukit Gasing are also not allowed,” he said.

In Kuala Lumpur, City Hall will open all its public parks tomorrow to allow people to exercise.

Public libraries, multipurpose halls, sports complexes and Dataran Merdeka in Kuala Lumpur will, however, remain closed.

The idea behind Muhyiddin’s move to ease up business restrictions is to ensure the economy can start the revival process after being hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic and MCO.

However, many have called on the government not to be too hasty in allowing businesses to restart and for people to be allowed out, fearing it will results in a spike of infections.

Malaysia today recorded 122 new cases, taking the total number of cases to 6,298, with 105 deaths.

This is the second day of a return to triple-digit cases after 105 new cases were reported yesterday, following 15 days of double-digits. – May 3, 2020.