SMALL traders licensed by local authorities no longer need approval to operate from the government’s Covid-19 Intelligent Management System (CIMS) 3.0 during the lockdown, the Housing and Local Government Ministry said today.

Instead, they only need to show their hawker permits issued by the local councils, a statement posted on minister Zuraida Kamaruddin’s Facebook page said.

The announcement of the latest U-turn comes on Day 2 of the total lockdown, which is until June 14.

“Traders and hawkers in areas under local council jurisdiction with either permanent or temporary hawking permits do not need to get approval through the CIMS,” said Zuraida. 

“They only need to show their permits issued by the local councils.”

Before this, essential businesses allowed to operate during the lockdown had to apply for approval through CIMS 3.0, which is managed by the Ministry of International Trade and Industry.

CIMS 3.0 is just a centralised application platform, but approval for respective businesses is given by the relevant ministry.

Zuraida said if hawkers and traders need to cross districts to get to their areas of business, they will need to apply for police approval and show their permits as supporting documentation.

She also clarified that this applies only to traders and not those trading at farmers’ markets, weekend markets and night markets. – June 2, 2021.