We had previously issued updates on the relaxations announced by the Malaysian Government to the prohibitions and restrictions under the
Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases (Measures within Infected Local Areas) (No. 7) Regulations 2020 (‘RMCO Regulations’) for the period 10 June 2020 to 31 August 2020 (‘RMCO Period’). Our Alert on the RMCO Regulations and the earlier updates are available
here,
here,
here and
here.
The Government has subsequently announced further relaxations to the prohibitions and restrictions under the RMCO Regulations. We summarise below the salient points of these relaxations –
Reopening of schools and education centres[1]
All schools nationwide for Year Five, Year Six, Form One to Form 4, remove class and Form Six Semester 1 students, religious schools and education centres, including tuition centres, language centres and enrichment centres that are registered with the Ministry of Education are allowed to reopen from 15 July 2020. All schools nationwide for Year One to Year 4 students are allowed to reopen from 22 July 2020.
Senior Minister of Education, Dr Mohd Radzi Md Jidin, announced that schools may choose from three operating models depending on their available space and capacity –
Reopening of theme parks
All theme parks nationwide including water theme parks are allowed to reopen from 1 July 2020.
[2] The
SOPs for theme park subsector that are issued by the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (‘MOTAC’) on 1 July 2020 provide, among others, that theme park operators are required to carry out cleaning and disinfection process at least three times a day during operating hours, in particular at public areas such as high-touch areas in the changing room, washroom, escalator, buttons in lifts, door knobs, hand railings, etc. and once every hour for areas with a high number of visitors.
Reopening of reflexology and massage businesses
Reflexology and massage businesses, including massage services provided by blind masseurs and spa and wellness centres, are allowed to reopen from 1 July 2020.
[3]
The
SOPs for the spa, wellness, foot massage and reflexology subsectors that are issued by MOTAC on 1 July 2020 provide, amongst others, that business operators are required to register their premises with the local authorities before reopening their businesses and only workers who are Malaysians are allowed to return to work.
Alert prepared by Tan Wei Liang (Associate) of Skrine.