No conditional MCO for nine states

PETALING JAYA: Nine states are not following or fully complying with the Federal Government’s move to ease conditions and let businesses resume with set guidelines under the conditional movement control order (MCO) starting today.

Kedah, Sabah, Pahang, Penang, Kelantan and Sarawak have decided not to follow the move while Selangor, Perak and Negri Sembilan said it would limit the number of businesses allowed to resume operations and restrict dine-ins at restaurants and sports and recreational activities.

Kedah Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir said it understood the reason why the Federal Government needed to impose the conditional MCO.

“Yes, economy is important. We empathise with those facing financial setbacks because of the MCO.

“But at the same time, we don’t want to see a sudden surge in the number of Covid-19 cases.

“Human life is our priority, ” he said yesterday.

He said a special security committee would meet tomorrow to study the conditional MCO’s implementation to ensure this was suitable for Kedah, adding that the requirements and guidelines announced by the Federal Government would also be scrutinised.

Negri Sembilan Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Aminuddin Harun said it had decided against allowing food and beverage outlets to open for dine-in for now, as well as any sport or social activities as the number of active Covid-19 cases was still high.

He said it decided that some sectors should remain closed following public feedback.

“Some restaurant operators have also voiced their concerns about allowing dine-ins for now.

“So, we will continue with the earlier arrangement of only allowing takeaways and this includes food trucks, ” he said after visiting a wet market yesterday.

Selangor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari said it would review the preparedness of local authorities to handle the resumption of companies’ operations.

It is understood that the state government is seeking the views of the various local councils on their readiness to carry out enforcement and monitoring in the country’s most populous and industrialised state.

Penang, said Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow, would be implementing the conditional MCO “in three phases” starting today.

“Although it is necessary to restart the economy in the state, it cannot take the risk to completely loosen the MCO. The state is preparing the guidelines from May 4-8. Further updates will be given soon after.

“The next phase will be from May 9-12 and then May 13, ” he said over social media.

Stressing that it would be maintaining the status quo for now, Pahang Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail said details still had to be worked out specifically for the state.

“The Pahang government has to study and fine-tune this to match the current Covid-19 outbreak in the state.

“This will be discussed further in the state security working committee’s weekly meeting on Friday, ” he said.

In Perak, a no dine-in rule has been enforced from today while public parks are still closed for recreational activities.

State secretary Datuk Ahmad Suadi Abdul Rahim said its administration held a special meeting chaired by the mentri besar and agreed with the Federal Government on opening up certain sectors of the economy from today.

“To ensure the best public service to the people, all government offices will open from today, ” he said.

Kelantan is also postponing the implementation of the conditional MCO until the state security committee discussed the matter on Thursday.

Mentri Besar Datuk Ahmad Yakob said it did not want to ease restriction too early, although the entire state enjoyed green zone status.

Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal said the state would be maintaining restrictions during phase four of the MCO, which is scheduled to end on May 12.

“Our decision to maintain the MCO is to check the spread of Covid-19 in the state and protect the people, ” he said, urging the public to continue to observe the MCO rules.

On Saturday, Sarawak Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah had said that it would not follow the Federal Government’s move until it had studied the implications on the state.