SOPs for Phase Four of Malaysia's National Recovery Plan (August 2021)

In Phase Four, public and private sector workplaces are allowed to operate at 100% capacity; face-to-face meetings and interviews are allowed with physical distancing; cross-state travel is allowed with the Royal Malaysia Police's permission, and more.

As the Federal Territory of Labuan moves into Phase Four of Malaysia's National Recovery Plan (NRP) today (26 August 2021) - the first in the country to do so - the National Security Council has released a set of standard operating procedures (SOPs) to note.

In Phase Four, the public and private sector are allowed to operate at 100% capacity; face-to-face meetings and interviews are allowed with physical distancing; cross-state travel is allowed with the Royal Malaysia Police's (PDRM) permission, and more.

Completion of vaccinations

Individuals who have been fully vaccinated are individuals who have met the following criteria:

• For vaccine types that require two injection doses, such as Cormirnaty (Pfizer BioNTech), COVID 19 AstraZeneca (Oxford-AstraZeneca), CoronaVac (Sinovac), Spikevax (Moderna) and Covilo (Sinopharm), the individual must have passed the 14th day from the date of the second dose injection; or
• For vaccine types that only require one injection dose, such as COVID 19 Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) and Convidecia (CanSino), the individual must have passed the 28th day from the date of injection.

Protocols for citizens and non-citizens returning/ arriving from abroad

• Citizen and non-citizen travellers who reside in Malaysia, including PRs and Malaysia MYSecondHome holders, who return or arrive from abroad and have been fully vaccinated, are allowed to undergo mandatory quarantine at home. They will be given a digital Home Surveillance and Observation Order, subject to the Ministry of Health's (MOH) assessment.
  • Shows evidence of RT PCR test report with negative results, conducted three days before departure;
  • Has a valid certificate of COVID-19 vaccination, and completed doses depending on the type of vaccine;
  • Displays no symptoms during health screening at the International Gateway, and
  • Has a suitable place of residence to be quarantined in.
• Individuals who have returned from abroad and have not been fully vaccinated or are not vaccinated must undergo quarantine at a designated quarantine centre, subject to details issued by MOH.
• The mandatory quarantine period for travellers from all countries is 14 days, and can be extended for another seven days if there is a need based on results of the risk assessment conducted on the 14th day.
• Travellers are required to make a self-assessment every day through the Home Assessment Tool, until the end of the quarantine period either 14 days or 21 days from the date of arrival.
• Travellers are required to undergo COVID-19 infection detection test screening, i.e. RT PCR COVID-19 test, upon arrival. A repeat screening test will be performed on the 10th or 18th day for travellers who need to undergo quarantine for 21 days.

Public and private sector services

• Attendance capacity is now at 100%.
• Activities in the Civil Service is subject to the current direction of the Chief Secretary to the Government.

Meetings, interviews, seminars, workshops, courses, trainings, and talks

• Face-to-face meetings and interviews are allowed, with physical distancing.
• Seminars, training course workshops and talks are allowed, with 50% of the space capacity and physical distancing. 

Formal ceremonies and social activities

• Formal ceremonies are allowed, with 50% of the space capacity and physical distancing.
• Social events such as kenduri-kendara celebrations, wedding ceremonies or engagement ceremonies, wedding receptions, aqiqah ceremonies, doa selamat, tahlil, birthday celebrations, reunions, retreats and other social ceremonies are allowed, with 50% of the space capacity and physical distancing. 

Business, services, agriculture, fisheries, livestock, plantation, commodities, logging, manufacturing, construction, mining and quarrying

All activities and chains are allowed to operate in accordance with the conditions of the license, except those in the negative list (below).

Creative and entertainment industry activities

• The development and broadcasting of creative content, by recording or live broadcast including drama filming animation, sitcom promotion and the likes, including dance arts activities, theatre arts, musical arts, cultural and heritage performances as well as music arts are allowed, with the audience subject to space and physical distancing.
• Content filming activities inside and outside the studio are allowed, in strict compliance with SOPs issued by FINAS.
• Indoor and outdoor busking activities are allowed, with physical distancing.
• Performances in hotel lounges are allowed, with physical distancing.
• Drive-in cinema activities are allowed.
• Cinema activities are allowed with physical distancing.

General health protocols

• Licensees and premise owners are required to provide a MySejahtera QR Code facility and provide customer attendance registration books.
• Hand sanitisers must be provided at the entrance, and patrons must use them before entering the premises.
• Use of the MySejahtera application is required in areas with wide internet access, while the use of customer attendance registration books is only allowed in areas with no internet coverage or other reasonable reasons.
• Licensees and premises owners must ensure customers check in to their premises using MySejahtera, or by manually write their names and phone numbers if there is no internet coverage.
• Employers, employees, customers and visitors are required to check in via MySejahtera or manually ( if there is no internet coverage) before entering the premises, including in Government offices, public and private offices.
• For supermarket shopping complexes or department stores, customers only need to perform a body temperature scan once at the entrance of the complex, and not at every business premises under one complex.
• Patrons with body temperatures above 37.5 degrees Celsius are not allowed to enter the complex and premises.
• The owners of complexes and premises outside the complex need to ensure only customers with “Low Risk” status including “Casual Contact Low Risk” in MySejahtera are allowed to enter their respective complexes or premises.
• Licensees and premises owners must ensure control of customers entering and leaving the premises, with physical distancing of at least one metre.
• Individuals aged 17 and under are not encouraged to be in public places and facilities.
• Licensees and premises owners must limit the number of customers on the premises, with physical distancing of at least one metre at each time.
• Each premise must display the total customer entry limit at a time. The use of a queue number system is encouraged for customers entering the premises.
• All building owners must provide QR Codes at each level.
• Suppliers, employees and customers are required to wear face masks properly, according to MOH's recommendations, while on the premises.
• Ensure good ventilation in the premises, based on indoor ventilation and air quality guidelines issued by the Department of Occupational Safety and Health.
• It is mandatory to wear face masks, especially in crowded public places, except for activities and places as follows:
  • Hotel rooms or paid accommodation, alone and with members of the same household.
  • Private workspaces
  • Sports and recreational activities
  • In own vehicles and with household members
  • Indoor or outdoor areas and places without other individuals
  • When eating and drinking in public places without other individuals, other than in restaurants or food premises.

Movement control

• Cross-state travel is allowed between Phase Four Sates only.
• Cross-state travel to states in Phases One, Two and Three is allowed, with permission from PDRM and submissions of relevant documents.
• Movement of workers to states in Phases One, Two and Three is subject to registration or a letter operating approval, employee pass or employer confirmation letter.
• Cross-state movement for COVID-19 vaccination purposes at vaccination centres outside the district or state of residence is allowed, by showing appointment details on MySejahtera or the relevant SMS.
• MPs and Legislators of States are allowed cross states to visit their respective areas.
• Individual movement of goods and public transport for all types of vehicles is allowed, based on total vehicle capacity and the vehicle registration license.
• Activities and services at all airports and ports are allowed to operate for 24 hours.

Religious activities

• Activities in mosques and suraus are allowed according to the rulings of the State Religious Authority.
• Islam marriage ceremonies (akad nikah) are allowed according to the rulings of the State Religious Authority.
• Funeral management of Muslims is allowed according to the rulings of the State Religious Authority.
• House of Worship activities outside of Islam are allowed according to the ruling of the Ministry of National Unity (KPN).
• Registration of marriages for non-Muslims in the National Registration Department (JPN), Houses of Worship and Religious Associations are allowed, with attendance according to the ruling of the JPN.
• Funeral management for non-Muslims is allowed according to the ruling of the KPN.

List of activities that are not allowed (negative list)

• Activities in nightclubs or pubs.
• Tourism and cultural activities
• Overseas tourism activities
• Inward tourism activities involving foreign tourists entering Malaysia
• Sports and recreational activities
• Sports and recreational activities performed in excess of the prescribed capacity.
• Operation of sports and recreational facilities that do not comply with the Sports and Recreation Sector SOP.
• Organising of all sports and recreational events and competitions, without KBS' permission.
• Attendance of supporters to sports and recreation venues, exceeding the prescribed capacity.
• Participation of Malaysian technical coaches athletes in tournaments, competitions or matches abroad without the approval of the Malaysian Immigration Department (and support of KBS/MSN).
• Entry of athletes coached by foreign technical officers into Malaysia, without the approval of the Malaysian Immigration Department (and support of KBS/ MSN) and in non-compliance with the rules of entry of foreigners into Malaysia.
• Any activities that may cause many people to be present in a place, making it difficult for physical distancing and compliance with the instructions of the Director General of Health.
• Other matters decided by the Government from time to time.

Further SOPs, including for the education sector, can be found here.

Lead photo / 123RF 
Infographic / Ministry of Health Malaysia