Covid-19: Phase 4 of Movement Control Order – Restrictions Eased
04 May 2020
The Prime Minister of Malaysia, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin,
announced on 1 May 2020 significant relaxations to the 4
th Phase of the Movement Control Order (‘
MCO Phase 4’) that is presently in force throughout Malaysia until 12 May 2020.
In essence, all businesses will be permitted to operate from 4 May 2020 except those which are set out in the
List of Prohibited Activities.
The businesses that are permitted to operate are required to strictly comply with the standard operating procedures (‘SOP’) determined by the relevant regulatory authorities. The SOPs are available at
https://www.mkn.gov.my/web/ms/sop-pembukaan-semula-ekonomi/.
The businesses/ business activities which are included in the List of Prohibited Activities, and are therefore not permitted to operate or be carried out during MCO Phase 4 include the following –
- Entertainment and leisure, namely cinemas, karaoke centres, theme parks, reflexology centres, entertainment outlets and night clubs
- Cruise ships
- Sales carnivals
- Working in groups of more than 10 people for installation and maintenance of machinery (lift, escalator, boiler, etc.) for the services sector / tower crane at a construction site
- Face-to-face talks, seminars, courses and training
- Hairdressers and beauty salons
- Sales and marketing of banking and financial services outside the premises of financial institutions or in public areas
- Ecotourism
- Use of hotel facilities such as gymnasium, spa, sauna, lounge, swimming pool, meeting room, seminar room, training room, restaurants and cafes (for buffet).
The recommencement of economic activities across a broad segment of business sectors will be welcomed by many businesses that are struggling to cope with the economic downturn resulting from the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic. It is hoped that businesses will strictly comply with the SOPs and that the Government will put in place an effective mechanism to monitor compliance to avoid a second wave of outbreak of the coronavirus.