Here’s Everything You Need To Know About PM Muhyiddin’s Labour Day Announcement

PM Muhyiddin recently addressed the nation in a live telecast conducted in conjunction with Labour Day. In his announcement, many key issues were covered. But if you couldn’t catch all of it, don’t worry. We’ve summarised all the important stuff for you.

1. Most businesses will be allowed to operate starting 4th May with strict obedience to SOP enforced by authorities, but large gatherings are still prohibited (e.g. going to the cinema, clubbing, karaoke, reflexology centres, theme parks, bazaars, carnivals, and exhibitions).
2. Outdoor sports not involving body contact or the gathering of many is allowed (e,g, golf, jogging, cycling, badminton and running in groups of not more than 10).
3. Social events involving the gathering of people in open houses, buka puasa events, concerts, performances and all formal events are still not allowed.
4. Religious activities such as parades, Friday prayers, and all other assembly activities at mosques, prayer rooms and establishments of worship will remain prohibited.
5. Cross-border state travel is still banned excluding those who travel for work purposes or returning home after being stranded in their villages. Interstate travel for the purpose of celebrating Aidilfitri is not allowed.
6. All schools, colleges and higher-learning institutions are to be closed.
7. The full list of businesses and establishments disallowed can be referred to on MKN’s official website and will be updated according to the trend of Covid-19 infections.
8. Aside from the list of prohibited activities, businesses that are allowed to open will have to follow the SOP specified by the authorities. (e.g. washing hands, social distancing, wearing masks, immediately reporting any related information about Covid-19 cases to the Health Ministry.)
9. Not all employees should come to work at the same time to avoid crowding. Flexible working arrangements can be arranged (e.g. scheduled shifts for employees to work alternate days)
10. Everyone using public transport must wear masks and bring hand sanitiser.
11. Employers must ensure to take the temperature of their employees and advise them to go home or to the clinic if they report high body temperatures.
12. Starting 4th May, public sector employees are advised to work from home unless their work requires them to be in the office. In other sectors of the economy, employers are also advised to make their employees work from home.
13. Citizens are advised to download apps, MySejahtera and My Trace to help health officials identify anyone who’s been in close contact with an infected patient.
14. All Head of Departments are advised to hold discussions with their respective employees to restructure the human resource requirements that would facilitate working from home.
15. All employers have to follow the guidelines involving how to handle Covid-19 in the workplace (particularly involving issues relating to quarantine, sick leave and lay-offs).
16. Employers can take necessary action to avoid laying off employees following the Code of Conduct specified which limits overtime, and the number of employees allowed to work in a week.

The PM then went on to give an example of how the latest SOP will be enforced in restaurants and eateries when the list of approved businesses resume operations on Monday (4th May):

1. Restaurant tables are to be arranged at least two meters away from each other so that servers and customers can still practice safe, social distancing.
2. Restaurants are to place notices in every table to specify how many customers can sit in each table (maybe only one or two allowed, depending on the size of the table).
3. Draw line restrictions on the floor to ensure a one-meter distance between each customer lining up to pay at the counter.
4. Eateries should have hand sanitisers at their payment counters for customer use. Hand wash should also be available.
5. Every time a customer uses the table, servers have to spray the affected area with disinfectant to ensure other customers can use the place.
6. Every employee must wear a face mask at all times.
7. On the first day of operations, employees need to be checked for their temperature before being allowed into the restaurant.
8. Restaurant keepers have to keep track of their customers and write down the names and telephone numbers, as well as the date in which customers visited their establishment to ease tracking possible Covid-19 patients.

Stay tuned for more updates! 

Also read: Prime Minister Urges M’sians To Download Contact Tracing Apps Which Will Help Health Officials