Beginning Tuesday, all businesses in Peninsular Malaysia and Labuan will only be allowed to operate from 8am to 8pm.
The ruling is part of the government’s two-pronged strategy to reduce the number of Covid-19 cases in the country.
Defence Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said the other was for more workers from the public and private sectors to work from home.
“Eighty per cent, or 750,000 civil servants, and 40 per cent, or 6.1 million workers in the private sector will be required to work from home beginning Tuesday,” said Ismail Sabri.
“The work-from-home mechanism for the private sector will be announced by the International Trade and Industry Ministry in due course.”
Ismail Sabri said the government believes the Covid-19 curve can be flattened through this strategy, but urged the people to co-operate.
“We want to limit movement… this is why the passenger capacity on public transport will also be reduced to 50 per cent.
“All business operations must end at 8pm (starting Tuesday). Same goes with activities like exercising (jogging, walking, cycling) alone, except religious affairs, as that comes under the purview of state religious authorities.
“The 8am to 8pm ruling will apply to all sundry and grocery shops, petrol stations (except those located along highways), laundrettes and shopping malls. Pharmacies, however, will be allowed to operate until 10pm,” he added.
Ismail Sabri said there have been calls for a total lockdown following the rise of Covid-19 cases in the country. However, he said doing that would affect daily income earners, including small traders.
“Some companies can’t afford another lockdown as it could result in them closing down. That would mean more people losing jobs,” he said.
“If we can reduce the number of cases, then we can lift these restrictions. But if the cases increase, we need to re-introduce tougher restrictions again. This will continue for as long as we cannot flatten the curve.”
He also said more police road blocks and spot checks will be carried out
by enforcement agencies on all premises, including during weekends and public holidays.
“All government agencies with the authority to compound, will step up their checks,” he said.
Malaysia today recorded 6,320 Covid-19 cases and 50 deaths, bringing the total number of cases to 505,115 and deaths to 2,199.
