THE government has no plans to issue summons to any person not wearing a mask in public following the recent announcement by the Health Ministry.

Deputy Health Minister Noor Azmi Ghazali said the wearing of masks indoors is now also optional.

“The government will not impose the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988 and will not take action against anyone,” he said.

“People are familiar with and understand public health and we are close to getting back to our normal lives. Even social and economic activities have also been held and group gatherings have been allowed.

“So we need to take care of ourselves and practise new norms, including wearing a mask if we have Covid-19 symptoms and isolating ourselves in addition to making a report in the MySejahtera app.”

Noor Azmi, who is also Bagan Serai MP, said this at a press conference in conjunction with the Bukit Merah Orang Utan Island Foundation round-table discussion that was also attended by foundation trustee Prof Emeritus Abdul Latif Mohamad in Bagan Serai today.

However, he said the public is encouraged to wear masks in crowded places, adding that it is mandatory on public transport and at all healthcare facilities.

On September 7, Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin announced that the ministry had stipulated that the use of masks indoors was optional but that premises owners could still determine whether visitors were required to wear one.

Noor Azmi said Malaysia is waiting for the declaration for the country to enter the endemic phase of Covid-19 due to the low number of infections recorded at the moment.

He said the declaration depends on the World Health Organization, which determines the endemic phase status of a country.

“We previously entered the transition to endemic phase because there were still reported Covid-19 cases and there are things we still have to take care of and control,” he said. – Bernama, September 13, 2022.