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KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia will allow movement between states and districts across the country starting Monday (December 7) without the need for a police permit, except in areas under a blockade known as the Enhanced Movement Control Order (EMCO).
“The police will also remove obstacles from December 7, but will focus on compliance with standard operating procedure (SOP),” Chief Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said during a news conference on Saturday.
He also said the Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) will end as scheduled on Dec. 6 for most states.
However, it will run until December 20 for Kuala Lumpur, Sabah, most of Selangor, as well as some parts of Johor, Negeri Sembilan, Kelantan and Perak.
Under CMCO, all schools, institutions of higher education, vocational training institutes, preschools and tahfiz centers must be closed. All social and cultural activities, even in entertainment centers and nightclubs, are also not allowed.
READ: Domestic travel bubbles approved in Malaysia as movement restrictions were lifted in four states
The decision to lift the CMCO was made after considering the current and expected impact on the economic recovery if the restrictions were extended, Ismail said.
“The country is expected to suffer a GDP loss of RM300 million (US $ 74 million) per day if CMCO continues and this will result in a decrease in the labor market and household spending, investment uncertainty, permanent loss of jobs, business closures and other effects either directly or indirectly, “he said.
“Therefore, the government must consider all aspects when formulating any approach to create a balance between maintaining public health and impacting the economy.”
THE LAST ROUND OF CMCO WAS RE-INSTALLED IN OCTOBER
Malaysia has implemented several stages of restrictions since the start of the COVID-19 outbreak, beginning with the Movement Control Order in March.
The pandemic appeared to be under control between June and August until cases began to rise again in September. This was partly due to increased travel to and from Sabah for state elections.
Selangor and Kuala Lumpur have been under a CMCO since October 14 when COVID-19 cases also spiked there, in part due to infections at Top Glove, the world’s largest manufacturer of latex gloves.
READ: Movement restrictions to tighten in Selangor, KL and Putrajaya as cases surge amid third wave of COVID-19
READ: Malaysia to close some Top Glove factories in phases amid COVID-19 outbreak
On November 9, the CMCO was reestablished in all but three of Peninsular Malaysia’s states for four weeks as the country continued to fight the coronavirus resurgence. That period of restrictions would last until December 6.
On Saturday, Malaysia reported 1,123 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the national count to 71,359.
Four more deaths were reported, bringing the total to 380.
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