LIVE performances are now allowed at hotel lounges and selected venues with strict standard operating procedure in place, said Senior Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

These live events are allowed with the presence of spectators at recovery and conditional movement-control order (RMCO and CMCO) areas, he added.

“Hotels can have live performances at their lounge or coffee house with two-piece, three-piece, or more, band members.  

“The live events are also restricted to designated locations and licensed event spaces only, such as convention centres, exhibition galleries, trade centres, art premises and other licensed premises,” he said at a press conference in Putrajaya today.

Live events include official government programmes, television programmes, music, dance, theatre, musicals, comedy shows, cultural and heritage performances as well as livestreaming.

Such events are also restricted to designated locations and licensed meetings, incentives, conferencing, exhibitions (MICE) venues.

If a live event is in a CMCO area, only 50% of the event’s capacity can be utilised, while in RMCO areas the capacity is according to the size of the premises and subject to physical distancing.

“Pre-registration or online ticket sales are allowed. There must be social distancing of at least 1.5m between each spectator.

“Social distancing of at least two meters between artists, musicians, dancers on stage must also be observed,” Ismail Sabri said.

If the live event has food and drink, their purchase must be by pre-order and packed, he added.

Event organisers must also have a team to ensure that all SOP are followed.

The defence minister said the decision to allow live events at certain venues was made in view of the fact that some 300,000 people worked in the creative industry. – March 9, 2021.