THE government is considering giving relaxation to low-risk activities for residents in states under phase one of the national recovery plan.

Senior Foreign Minister (Security Cluster) Hishammuddin Hussein said the move was to ensure the mental health needs of the people are taken care of.

“Even if we are still stuck in phase one, on the issue of mental health we can look at some safe activities like going to the park, the open-air night market, as these are things we are considering (for relaxation),” he told a virtual media conference today.

However, he said the matter has not been announced as it needed the views of health experts.

The media conference was the first held since the appointment of Hishammuddin as senior minister for the security cluster to present the development of the plan and the enhanced movement-control order.

Commenting on interstate travel relaxation for fully vaccinated parents to visit their children aged 18 and below, Hishammuddin said the decision was made based on the situation and the mental wellbeing of the family, which needed to be considered after a lengthy travel ban.

However, he said the relaxation for unmarried children to visit their parents could not be implemented as there are too many involved and there is therefore a higher risk.

“Initially, we are only allowing parents worried about their children aged 18 and below who have been living separately for so long. Let us allow them to meet. This is a decision not based on economics or health as it concerns the position of their mental health.

“If this is successful and did not lead to a rise in Covid-19 cases, then we could consider extending it to those who are not married,” he said.

In this regard, he hoped the people would alert the authorities if there were cases of fake vaccine certificate to cross states apart from cooperation with various parties such as the leadership at state level, ministries and agencies responsible for carrying out monitoring and enforcement.

Yesterday, Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin announced that the government had agreed to provide facilities in the social sector to individuals who have completed vaccination and reside in states that are in phase two of the plan and beyond, effective tomorrow.

Among the facilities allowed are inter-district travel, dine-in, sports and leisure activities without physical contact and not in group settings, as well as tourism activities within the same state involving homestays and hotels. – Bernama, August 9, 2021.