Malaysia resumes transport services at full capacity

Malaysia's public transport services, including buses, ferries, trains and planes, can now resume operating at full capacity with no limit on their operating hours, Senior Minister for Security Ismail Sabri Yaakob said yesterday.

Transport operators and passengers have to comply with strict safety protocols, including the wearing of face masks, using tracking apps and conducting temperature checks.

"Standard operating procedures are in place and operators must ensure these are followed by the passengers," the minister said.

Under the stricter measures previously, buses were not allowed to run at night and could carry only half their usual load of passengers. Ride-hailing services could operate only till 10pm and were limited to a maximum of two passengers in a car.

These relaxed rules come as Malaysia enters what it calls the recovery phase of its coronavirus measures, after a partial shutdown imposed in March reduced new daily cases to double-digit figures.

Yesterday, the Health Ministry reported 31 new Covid-19 cases, 11 of which were returning Malaysians who had been infected abroad. The spike follows three days of single-digit new infections. No new fatalities were recorded, with the death toll at 118. Malaysia's Covid-19 recovery rate stands at about 84.4 per cent.

However, national health chief Noor Hisham Abdullah noted yesterday that the country could be declared free from the virus only if there are no new cases for a period of 28 days.

Meanwhile, mosques in Malaysia's Federal Territories will reopen for Friday and other congregational prayers today.

De facto Religious Affairs Minister Zulkifli Mohamad Al-Bakri said in a special televised address yesterday that only mosques and suraus (prayer houses) in areas with no active coronavirus cases can reopen, and these will be allowed to have congregants fill only one-third of the total space in their prayer halls.

The minister also announced that Malaysian Muslims would not be permitted to undertake the haj this year due to the pandemic.

The decision to postpone this year's pilgrimage was made after a briefing by the Health Ministry and a discussion by the special committee of the National Council for Islamic Religious Affairs on Tuesday.

"This was a difficult decision as we know performing the haj is of great importance to Muslims," said Datuk Seri Zulkifli.

Over 30,000 pilgrims from Malaysia perform the pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia every year.

Singapore and Indonesia have also postponed the haj for their citizens this year.

Theme parks in Penang may also reopen but water-based attractions and public swimming pools, including those in condominiums, must stay closed for the time being, said Penang tourism, arts, culture and heritage committee chairman Yeoh Soon Hin.

The government began easing movement controls from May 4 to revive the economy, which it said then had been suffering RM2.4 billion (S$785 million) in daily losses since controls were implemented in mid-March.