Other rules should be relaxed first, say industry leaders

PETALING JAYA: Businesses are still not ready for workers and customers to stop wearing masks.

Stakeholders said the requirement should be maintained for the time being to minimise the risk of Covid-19 transmission.

Malaysia Inbound Tourism Association president Uzaidi Udanis said tourism players prefer that the mask mandate remains: “It is better to be safe,” he said.

“(Wearing a mask) is not really an inconvenience and it will protect from viruses,” he said, adding that the cost of masks is also pocket-friendly.

Uzaidi, who is also the Malaysia Tourism Council president, said if the government has any plans to relax the requirement, it is best to wait until the Hari Raya festive season is over to explore the possibility, as many people will be travelling during this period. However, he hoped the government will also look into relaxing the Covid-19 testing requirement for tourists.

“It is not cheap to have a PCR test done in the United States and Europe,” he said.

Therefore, Uzaidi requested that the government look into the possibility of scrapping the pre-departure test and only require tourists to test upon arrival.

“It is a barrier for us to get tourists. Requiring tourists to test before coming here is a hindrance,” he said, adding that the multiple tests requirement may not be cost effective.

Restaurant and Bistro Owners Association vice-president Jeremy Lim said plans to relax the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) is best done in phases.

The focus should first be on allowing all businesses to reopen and operate fully, he said, noting that nightclubs are still closed and DJs and musicians have yet to resume gigs.

The government can then review physical distancing requirements before eventually removing the mask mandate, he said.

With international borders now open, it would be wise to still keep our guard up, he added.

“So keeping certain SOPs in place makes sense. However, they should indicate at which point these SOPs will be removed, for example if new cases drop below a certain number for a certain period or the hospitalisation or mortality rate drops.

“If we hit those milestones, it means we are in better control and finally moving into endemicity, so SOP can be more relaxed,” he said.

Malaysian Association of Hotels president Datuk N. Subramaniam said the relaxation of SOP will allow more room for various sectors of the economy to recover, especially the tourism and hospitality industry as well as events.

However, the industry sees the need to still maintain the use of masks based on the situation, such as indoors or enclosed spaces with large crowds and for those with symptoms, he said.

SME Association of Malaysia president Ding Hong Sing said small and medium enterprises in the country are willing to comply with any SOP set by the government even if it includes relaxing mask-wearing measures.