Coronavirus: Malaysia backtracks on move to let some businesses reopen
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A Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department worker disinfecting the subway train station in Kajang, outside Kuala Lumpur, last week. Malaysia's movement control order has led to the closure of schools and non-essential businesses, largely confined people to their homes except to buy food, and also closed the country's borders to tourists since March 18.
PHOTO: EPA-EFE
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PETALING JAYA • Malaysia has rescinded its earlier decision to allow hairdressers, barbers, beauty salons and optometrists to operate while its movement controls to curb the coronavirus outbreak are in force, said Senior Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob yesterday.
The government backtracked after receiving flak for its decision to allow some small businesses to reopen to help revive the economy which has been at a standstill because of the pandemic.
Datuk Seri Ismail said Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin made the new decision following advice from health experts and the authorities, and after listening to concerns raised by non-governmental organisations and the general public.
"We are aware the decision to allow hair salons and barbershops to operate has been an issue. The government listens to the people and, in line with this, the Prime Minister has decided not to allow these businesses to operate throughout the MCO," said Mr Ismail, referring to the movement control order.
The MCO has led to the closure of schools and non-essential businesses, largely confined people to their homes except to buy food, and also closed Malaysia's borders to tourists since March 18.
Last Friday, the government announced that it would extend the controls to April 28, but would allow some additional businesses to reopen.
These businesses include traditional and complementary medicine, hardware and electrical shops, optometrists, manned laundrettes and hair salons.
However, concerns were raised about the risks of infection, especially at service providers such as barbers and opticians, where people are in close proximity in enclosed spaces.
The country's health chief, Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah, last Saturday advised that the strict controls enforced since mid-March should be maintained and not eased, to contain the virus' spread.
Malaysia is one of the worst affected by the virus in South-east Asia, reporting 4,817 infections and 77 deaths yesterday.
It had the highest number of confirmed cases in the region until yesterday, when the Philippines reported a cumulative total of 4,932 cases and 315 deaths.
Mr Ismail also said that students at local universities and colleges must remain where they are, and would not be allowed to return to their hometowns yet.
Meanwhile, the website of the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (Miti) crashed yesterday, the first day of applications by certain businesses to reopen, as more than 100,000 people flooded its servers.
The government last week said that the small businesses which wanted to reopen must first apply to Miti, and get its approval to do so.
Miti later said its online system for applications was shut down from 2pm to 4pm yesterday.
It said the ministry started receiving applications at 9am, and saw up to 176,000 users within the first two hours.
THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
