Covid 19: Certain sectors permitted to operate at full capacity

The Ministry of International Trade and Industry (‘MITI’) issued a media release today stating that after due consideration, the Government has decided to allow the sectors of the economy which were allowed to operate during Phases 1, 2 and 3 of the Movement Control Order (‘MCO’) to increase their operations to full capacity without restrictions on their operating hours, subject to strict compliance by these businesses with the Operating Procedures Standards (SOP) applicable to the relevant sectors. This liberalisation of the operating restrictions takes effect from 29 April 2020.
 
While the decision by the Government will be most welcomed by businesses which are struggling to meet their overheads during the MCO, certain aspects of the decision require immediate clarification from MITI or the Government. First, whether the liberalisation only applies to businesses that have obtained approval to operate, or whether it applies to all businesses within the relevant sectors.
 
Second, in certain instances, only businesses located within ‘green zones’ were permitted to operate during the MCO. It is unclear from MITI’s media release whether such restrictions remain in force and businesses in other zones remain precluded from operating. 
 
The full text of the media release issued by MITI is available here.