Cross-district and cross-state movements remain prohibited except for special cases. Meanwhile, the positive list of sectors allowed to operate will be expanded to include trade & distribution, telecommunications, and more.

Malaysia's National Security Council (Majlis Keselamatan Negara/MKN) has released a new set of standard operating procedures (SOPs) that will apply in Phase Two of the National Recovery Plan, effective in five states today (5 July 2021).

In a Facebook post on Saturday (3 July), Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said the five states that will make the transition to Phase Two today are Kelantan, Pahang, Perak, Perlis, and Terengganu.

In this Phase, he added, the following will be in place:

• Cross-district and state movements are still not allowed.
  • Exemptions will be given for the movement of school teachers and students of exam classes.
  • Special exceptions will be given to long distance partners in emergency cases and special needs, with approval from the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM).
• The positive list of sectors allowed to operate will be expanded to include:
  • Trade & distribution sector:
  • Bookstores & stationery
  • Computer & telecommunications
  • Electricity items
  • Car wash shops
    Barbershops (basic barbershop only)

On that note, excerpts of the full SOPs with more details on activities allowed, activities on the negative list, protocols for businesses and services, and more, are shared below: 

Movement control

• There should be no crossing of state and district boundaries (based on district boundaries set by the State Government).
• PDRM is responsible for implementing control over local areas of infection with the help of ATM, APM & RELA. The entrance and exit of the PKP area will be closed, with entry controlled by the PDRM.
• Only two household representatives are allowed to go out only to get food supplies, medicine, dietary supplements and basic necessities within a radius not exceeding 10km from his/her residence.
• A maximum of three persons, including patients, are allowed out for health care, medical services, screening tests, vaccination programs, safety or emergency within a radius not exceeding 10km from his/her residence, or to the nearest place of residence if such health or medical services not within a 10km radius of the residence.
• The number of passengers in taxis and e-hailing rides is limited to two people, including the driver, and passengers must sit in the back.
• The number of persons allowed in vehicles carrying goods as well as the chain of economic or industrial activities (except transportation of workers) depends on the vehicle registration licence.
• The number of people allowed in the Department Vehicle or the Official Car of the Post is based on the capacity of the vehicle.
• Activities and services at all airports and ports are allowed to operate. 
• Unloading activities involve non-essential goods in factories are limited to the delivery and receipt of goods or cargo in the existing stockpile for the purpose of import and export only, with a limited number of employees on-site. Unloading time is from 8.00am to 8.00pm on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Unloading activities involving essential items are not subject to these restrictions, and can proceed as usual.
• Sea and land public transport services such as employee transport, stop buses, express buses, LRT, MRT, ERL, Monorail, ferries and other public transport are allowed to operate based on 50% vehicle capacity (operating hours and frequencies subject to the Ministry of Transport's instructions).
• Movement for cases of death and natural disasters is allowed after obtaining permission from PDRM.
• The movement of disaster or humanitarian aid by NGOs will require permission from the State Disaster Management Committee or District Disaster Management Committee in the area affected by the disaster, and the aid will be channeled through the Disaster Operations Control Centre (PKOB) in the area.
• Movement across districts and states for the purpose of COVID-19 vaccination at Vaccination Centres (PPVs) outside the district or state of residence is permitted by showing appointment details on the MySejahtera application, website or SMS.
• Members of Parliament and State Assemblymen are allowed across states and districts, to visit their respective constituencies without performing any ceremony.
• Cross-state and district travel is not allowed for long distance married couples.
• Movement of short-term business visitors, under the approval of the One Stop Centre Initiative (OSC) for official or business purposes, will be allowed after obtaining permission from PDRM.

Public service sector

Government offices will operate on a hybrid basis, through presence in the office and and work-from-home using the following approaches:

• Office attendance does not exceed 40% for the whole (excluding frontliners, security, defence and enforcement services) and 60% BDR by rotation.
• Counter services are open subject to the current instructions of the Chief Secretary to the Government (KSN).
• Attendance in office must be accompanied by official instruction documents and employee passes.

*Subject to the current instructions of the KSN.

Private sector

All essential services sectors approved by the relevant Ministry or Agency can operate during the PKP period, subject to the approval letter of the relevant Ministry. The movement of employees is subject to a registration or operating approval letter / employee pass / employer's confirmation letter.

Employee attendance capacity for the private sector in services should include operations and management limited to 80%.

Meetings, seminars, workshops, courses, trainings and talks

• Meetings should be conducted by video conference.
• Seminars, workshops, courses, trainings and talks are not allowed unless ongoing in-service training can be implemented in the training area through the camp-based training method.
• Seminars, workshops, courses, trainings and talks conducted online are allowed.

Businesses and services

• Restaurants, eateries, food stalls, food trucks, roadside hawkers, street hawkers, food courts, hawker centres, roadside food stalls or kiosks are allowed to operate between 6.00am to 10.00pm by takeaway, drive-by or delivery. Dine-in and park & dine services are not allowed.
• Picnic activities are not allowed.
• Grocery stores and convenience stores are allowed to operate between 8.00am and 8.00pm.
• Shops selling daily necessities, such as hardware shops, vehicle workshops, baby goods shops and religious goods are allowed to operate between 8.00am to 8.00pm.
• Health services such as hospitals, clinics and medical laboratories can operate for up to 24 hours or according to an operating licence.
• Petrol stations can operate from 6.00am to 8.00pm, except petrol stations on toll highways which can operate for up to 24 hours.
• Supermarkets, hypermarkets and department stores are allowed to operate from 8.00am to 8.00pm (subject to the list of necessary services by sector - Distribution trade).
• Pharmacies, personal care shops, convenience stores and mini marts are allowed to operate from 8.00am to 8.00pm.
• Animal clinics and pet food shops are allowed to operate from 8.00am to 8.00pm.
• Laundry shops, laundromats and eyewear shops are allowed to operate from 8.00am to 8.00pm. Self-service laundromats need to ensure that employees are on the premises in compliance with the prescribed SOPs.

Creative industry

• Development and broadcasting of creative content by recording or live broadcast including animation, filming, drama, promotion, sitcoms and the like, including dance activities, theatre arts, musical arts, cultural and heritage performances and music arts are not permitted, except for talks and live streaming individually.
• Recorded broadcasts or live broadcasts of programmes in the form of information delivery (other than entertainment) such as news, forums, talks are allowed.

List of necessary services that are allowed to operate

1. Food and beverages, including for animals
2. Health and medical care including dietary supplements, animal care and clinics as well as veterinary services
3. Air
4. Energy
5. Security (security and safety), defence, emergency, welfare and humanitarian aid
6. Solid waste management and public cleaning and sewerage
7. Transportation by land, water or air
8. Services and operations of ports, shipyards and airports, including loading, unloading, cargo handling and piloting, and storage or loading of commodities
9. Communications including media, telecommunications and internet, post and courier as well as broadcasting (for the purpose of conveying information, news and the likes only)
10. Banking, insurance, takaful and capital markets
11. Community loans and mortgages
12. E-commerce and information technology
13. Production, distillation, storage, supply and distribution of fuels and lubricants
14. Hotels and accommodation (only for quarantine purposes, segregation, employment for necessary services and not tourism purposes)
15. Construction
16. Forestry services (limited to enforcement) and wildlife
17. Legislation and judiciary
18. Lawyers and commissioners of oaths
19. Logistics limited to the delivery of necessary services

Operations by sector

A. Manufacturing (Capacity 80% of employees)

1. Aerospace (components and maintenance, repair and overhaul - MRO)
2. Food and beverages
3. Packaging and printing materials only related to food and health materials
4. Personal care items and detergents
5. Healthcare and medical products
6. Personal care products, personal protective equipment (PPE) including rubber gloves and fire safety equipment
7. Components for medical devices
8. Electrical and Electronics (importance of the global economic chain)
9. Oil and gas ( Oil and Gas) including petrochemicals and petrochemical products
10. Machines and equipment
11. Textiles for PPE production only
12. Production, distillation, storage, supply and distribution of fuels and lubricants
13. Automotive (vehicles and components)
14. Ceramics
15. Cement
16. Rubber
17. Iron and steel
18. Furniture factory for export purposes

B. Agriculture, fisheries, livestock, plantation and commodities (Optimal capacity)

1. Agriculture, fisheries and livestock and their chains
2. Plantations and commodities and their chains (oil palm, rubber, pepper, cocoa, timber, kenaf, biodiesel and agri -commodity certification)
3. Small-scale logging activities are subject to the SOPs of the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources (KeTSA)

C. Construction

1. Critical maintenance and repair works
2. Public infrastructure construction works
3. Construction works with approved employee accommodation on site build
4. Construction works placing workers in approved Centralised Workers Quarters (CLQ)
5. Construction works for small scale projects carried out by G1 and G2 contractors
6. Renovation works for single residential houses / commercial buildings
7. Land investigation works

D. Distribution trade

1. Shopping complexes including supermarkets, hypermarkets and departmental stores and all necessary services listed
2. Supermarkets, hypermarkets and departmental stores including all necessary services listed
3. Pharmacy, personal care, convenience store and minimarts
4. Restaurants
5. Laundry (including self-service)
6. Animal care and pet food stores
7. Eyeglass and optical goods stores
8. Hardware stores
9. E-commerce (all product categories)
10. Wholesale and distribution (all service product categories only necessary)
11. Bookstores and stationery
12. Computers and telecommunications
13. Electrical goods
14. Barber shops (basic barber services only)
15. Beauty salons ( basic barber services only)
16. Car wash
17. Vehicle workshop, maintenance and spare parts
18. Other specialty retail stores (petrol stations)

E. Others

Any services, works, industries and businesses as determined by the Government after consultation with the authorities regulating the service, work, industry and business.

List of prohibited activities (negative list)

Economic activities

• Spa operations, reflexology, massage centres, wellness and pedicure and manicure services
• Operation of cyber cafes and cyber centres
• Driving training institutes, maritime training centres and aviation training centres.
• Photographic activities
• Predictive number agencies, horse racing and casinos
• Operation of factories and liquor stores.

Entertainment activities

• Activities in nightclubs or pubs
• Activities at the cinema

Social activities

• Government and private formal or informal ceremonies
• Social events such as feasts, festive celebrations, wedding or engagement celebrations, wedding ceremonies, receptions, aqiqah ceremonies, prayers, tahlil, birthday celebrations, birthday celebrations, reunions, retreats and other social events
• Receiving guests or visitors at the residence except for emergencies and delivery services
• Seminars, workshops, courses, trainings, conferences, talks, exhibitions and activities related to Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions (MICE) in person.

Tourism and cultural activities

• Public tourist attraction products such as zoos, farms, aquariums, edutainment centres, extreme, adventure, nature parks and others.
• Premises of art, culture and heritage such as museums, libraries, art galleries, cultural heritage art centres or villages, cultural performance stages and others.
• Theme parks, family entertainment centres, indoor playground and karaoke including family karaoke
• Tourism activities outside the district and state
• Overseas tourism activities by citizens and domestic tourism activities involving foreign tourists entering Malaysia.

Sports and recreational activities

• All sports and recreational activities conducted in indoor areas
• All water sports and recreational activities except fishing
• Sports and recreational activities carried out in groups or involving physical contact
• Organisation of all tournaments or competitions, except those organised by the Ministry of Youth and Sports (KBS), Malaysian Football League and Petronas Cub Prix Championship only.
• The presence of spectators or supporters to sports and recreation venues
• Participation of Malaysian athletes / coaches / officers / technicians to tournaments or competitions or matches abroad without the approval of the Malaysian Immigration Department (JIM) and the support of KBS/MSN.
• Sports and recreational activities carried out outside or across the movement control command areas. except with the permission of PDRM.

Creative industries

• Presentations in the lounges
• Indoor or outdoor busking activities (except at Vaccination Centres)

Other unauthorised activities

• Any activity that may cause many people to be present in a place so as to complicate physical distancing and compliance with the instructions of the Director General of Health.
• Other matters decided by the Government from time to time. 

Source: https://www.humanresourcesonline.net/sops-for-phase-two-of-malaysia-s-national-recovery-plan-july-2021