Over the weekend, Senior Minister of Defense Dato’ Sri Ismail Sabri announced that, starting 9 November 2020 (Monday), CMCO will be enforced in every state in Peninsular Malaysia except Perlis, Kelantan, and Pahang. The CMCO is expected to last at least 28 days until 7 December 2020. This comes after Malaysia continued to report exponential spikes in COVID-19 in infections over the past week.
Having gotten used to the RMCO, some of us may have forgotten the SOPs of previous version of the Movement Control Order. Fret not because here is a quick refresher!
1. States in Peninsular Malaysia affected by the CMCO
- Selangor (+ Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya)
- Kedah
- Perak
- Penang
- Negeri Sembilan
- Melaka
- Johor
- Terengganu
2. Movement
i) During the CMCO, relevant authorities (including PDRM, ATM etc.) will be tasked with managing movement between areas affected by the CMCO.
ii) Only TWO people per household will be allowed to leave the house for essential purposes (getting groceries/basic necessities).
iii) You are NOT ALLOWED to travel between districts/zones currently under CMCO except for workers (with valid permits) and those involved in the supply chain sectors. The only exception includes emergencies, medical appointments, and accidents.
iv) However, if you are originally from a location that is currently under the CMCO, you CAN apply to PDRM for permission to return home.
v) All forms of public transport (including airport services) are allowed to function as normal
vi) E-Hailing (maximum of TWO passengers) and Delivery services are also allowed to continue operating. However, they are limited to operation hours between 6 am and 12 am ONLY
3. Economic and leisure activities under the CMCO
i) Under the CMCO, ALL economic sectors are allowed to operate as per usual. However, workers who need to travel between different zones will need a valid letter of authorisation to pass through roadblocks. However, employers are required to allow employees to work from home if they are not directly involved in the daily operations of the compnay.
ii) All retail outlets (including supermarkets, grocery stores, convenience stores, pasar malam, and markets) are allowed to operate between 6 am to 10 pm daily.
iii) All eateries and restaurants are also allowed to operate between 6 am to 10 pm. Dine is is allowed but limited to between two and four customers per table. That being said, you are encouraged to order takeaway, drive through, and/or delivery.
iv) Business owners MUST ensure that all patrons check in with mySejahtera or register manually for contact tracing purposes. They must also provide temperature scans.
v) Hospitals and clinics (government and private) will be allowed to operate 24 hours per day. Pharmacies and dispensaries, on the other hand, can operate between 8 am and 11 pm.
vi) All sectors involved in the chain of supply for food and rations (fisheries, agriculture, husbandry, trading) are allowed to operate as usual.
vii) Petrol stations are allowed to operate between 6 am and 10 pm. However, petrol stations along the highway are allowed to operate throughout the day.
viii) Filming activities are allowed to continue. However, the number of crew must be kept to an operational minimum and filming must be done without any audience members. Busking is allowed but at a reduced/limited capacity.
ix) All places of worship (Muslim and non-Muslim) are allowed to carry on as usual. That being said, there will be a limit of how many people may enter the premises. This will be decided by the state religious authority or by the state government.
x) In terms of sports, all physical activities (indoor or outdoor) that do not require close physical touch are allowed. However, each session/activity is limited to a maximum of 10 people. The operation hours of sporting facilities will be capped between 6 am and 10 pm.
4. Activities that are BANNED
i) Night clubs, pubs, theme parks, indoor playgrounds and cinemas will all be closed.
ii) Concerts or live events involving crowds are also not allowed.
iii) All seminars, courses, exhibitions and training sessions are not allowed. The only exception is for training sessions for essential services. But these must take place only within designated institutions of learning.
iv) Large-scale meetings are discouraged and Malaysians are advised to move to online e-meetings instead. However, if a physical meeting can’t be avoided, kindly ensure that all participants observe the relevant SOPs.
v) ALL large-scale gatherings (including weddings, festivities, social gatherings etc.) are also not allowed.
vi) ALL institutions of learning (schools, tertiary education facilities, vocational schools etc.) are to be closed. However, students who are required to be present for an exam will be allowed to do so.
vii) Sporting events that involve large crowds are banned. So too are activities that require physical touch, swimming, team sports, and picnics.
viii) Travel between CMCO zones is forbidden. Domestic tourism is also suspended.
And there you have it, folks. Stay safe, and stay at home! #RakyatJagaRakyat!
