Timeliness of 'essential service' approvals more important than how many get it

PETALING JAYA: It is more important for businesses to get appropriate and timely approval as "essential services" rather than the number which get it, say shopping mall owners and retailers.

In a joint statement, the Shopping Malls Association, Malaysia Retailers Association, Malaysia Retail Chain Association and Bumiputra Retailers Organisation said that the recent controversy over the number of businesses that have been issued approval letters was not the issue.

They said that the government must ensure that all "essential service" businesses and their chain of supporting activities have their operating approvals expedited in order to "save livelihoods".

"The sole criterion is whether those allowed to operate have correctly and expeditiously been issued with the requisite permits to do so. The absolute number is irrelevant," said the associations in a statement on Sunday (June 6).

They said that for essential services to run, other businesses are needed to support them – such as businesses related to raw materials, production, packaging and the delivery of the entire supply chain – are essential services.

On vaccinations, they said that they applauded the announcement that 500,000 persons involved in the retail business and the shopping mall industry have been recognised as "frontliners" and would be vaccinated as soon as possible.

They said some 50-60 malls have expressed interest in this vaccination programme and added that malls have offered to subsidise it by charging RM10 per dose out of the actual cost of RM100 to RM150.

"This is plus the RM15 per dose to be collected and paid to ProtectHealth Corporation for the supply of doctors, nurses and medical officers. Therefore, with two doses per course, the total charge is RM50 per course," they added.

They also said that the "ultimate real solution" to end the pandemic was to accelerate the vaccination of the people to achieve herd immunity.