Childcare centres allowed to operate during CMCO, says Rina Harun

PUTRAJAYA (Bernama): Public and private childcare centres or nurseries are allowed to operate under the conditional movement control order (MCO), says the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry.

Its minister Datuk Seri Rina Mohd Harun, however, said they must obtain the approval of the respective state Social Welfare Departments and follow the stipulated standard operating procedure (SOP) for conditional MCO prior to this.

"There is no obstacle for them to operate. The ministry understands the economic sector must function as normal and parents have to go out to work,’’ she said.

"But every centre must check with the state Welfare Department. The ministry had instructed every state Welfare Department to scrutinise applications for the centres to operate,’’ she told reporters at the ministry here Thursday (Nov 12).

On the SOP at the centres, Rina said they included giving the children their baths at home and complying with the schedule to send their children to the centres to avoid a congestion.

The conditional MCO is implemented in Peninsular Malaysia except in Kelantan, Pahang and Perlis until Dec 6 to curb the spread of Covid-19. - Bernama