Another MCO will devastate industries, say business groups

GEORGE TOWN: Another movement control order will have a devastating effect on industries, says a free trade zone association.

Free Industrial Zone Penang Companies’ Association president Ruben Nyul said businesses were just picking up and another MCO would disrupt the revival of industries.

“We are working with a lot of challenges, while ensuring the health and safety of our employees and family.

“It is going to be detrimental to the economy and the people if we are to lockdown all businesses again. The factories are following the SOP to the hilt and it would be wrong to penalise all of us.

“Any breach of SOP is rectified immediately as we have a very efficient troubleshooting process in all companies, ” he said.

Nyul said employees could not afford another lockdown, which would seriously affect their income and life.

Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers Penang branch chairman Datuk Jimmy Ong said the association would support the government in flattening the curve.

He, however, said the execution of the MCO should be done in a manner where the economic activities and the health of the rakyat were balanced.

“Factories should be allowed to run, but with strict SOP and Covid tests should be done for all people, not just foreigners.

“People’s movement should be restricted where gathering in groups should be minimised.

“Contact tracing should be fast and efficient where potential Covid-19 patients must be screened immediately and quarantined, ” he said.

Malaysian International Chambers of Commerce and Industry executive director Shaun Cheah said lessons learnt from the first MCO must be applied should a second lockdown be considered.

“In our numerous engagements and understanding of the disastrous consequence to the economic sustainability of our country, a balance between public health and economy is paramount.

“We are in support of the middle ground of a targeted enhanced MCO with stricter conditional MCO than an across-the-board lockdown like the MCO in March.

“The virus is here to stay. We cannot take such drastic knee-jerk measures but to find a way to live with it.

“Keep the productive and significant tax-paying businesses operating for continuous sustainability of the economy, which will in turn keep employment, ” he said.