SOPs for fully-vaccinated individuals in Malaysia: Phases 1, 2 and 3 of NRP [Aug 2021]

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The key differences lie in factors such as interstate travel (for spouses and children), arrangements to work from home as well as office, dine-in allowances, participation in religious activities, and more.

- With inputs by Priya Sunil. The SOPs are updated on 18 August 2021.

On 10 August (Tuesday), Malaysia’s National Security Council (Majlis Keselamatan Negara/MKN) released three sets of SOPs for Phases One, Two, and Three of the National Recovery Plan, specifically geared towards allowances in restrictions for fully-vaccinated individuals.

According to Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin’s message on 8 August (Saturday), these regulations will be applicable to those who are fully-vaccinated in the following states:

Phase One: Johor, Kedah, Kuala Lumpur, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Putrajaya, and Selangor
Phase Two: Kelantan, Perak, Pahang, Penang, Sabah, and Terengganu
Phase Three: Labuan, Perlis, and Sarawak

To be considered fully-vaccinated, residents in Malaysia must be:

Individuals who have taken the Pfizer, AstraZeneca or Sinovac vaccines, which require two doses, must have passed 14 days from the date of their second vaccination.
Individuals who have taken the Johnson & Johnson or CanSino vaccines, which require one dose, must have passed 28 days from the date of their vaccination.

Continue below for details about the SOPs for fully-vaccinated persons in the respective phases.

Interstate travel – for spouses

Long-distance married couples are allowed to cross counties and states to meet each other; provided both are fully-vaccinated with PDRM confirmation and have submitted the following documents:

Copy of husband and wife's identity card;
Copy of marriage certificate/card;
Copy of COVID-19 digital vaccination certificate of husband and wife;
Copy of proof of residence of husband/wife or confirmation letter employer, and
Show a letter of permission that has been approved by PDRM when passing Roadblocks (SJR).

Applicable to: Phases One, Two, and Three

Interstate travel – for parents and guardians of children (below aged 18)

Parents and guardians who have children under the age of 18, and reside in different counties or states are allowed across counties and states for meet each child on the condition that the parents and guardians have been completely vaccinated with PDRM confirmation and have submitted the following documents:

Copy of mother's, father's identity card and child's birth certificate/document;
Copy of COVID-19 digital vaccination certificate of parents/guardians;
Child's schooling information (if applicable), and
Show a letter of permission that has been approved by PDRM when passing Roadblocks (SJR).

Applicable to: Phases One, Two, and Three

Religious activities

Prayer activities in mosques and suraus for individuals who have been fully-vaccinated are allowed subject to regulations and SOPs by the State Religious Authority.

Likewise, prayer activities at Non-Islamic Houses of Worship (RISI) for individuals who have been fully-vaccinated are allowed subject to regulations and SOPs by the Ministry of National Unity.

Other SOPs include:

Islamic wedding ceremonies (Akad Nikah) are allowed only in the Religious Department of Islam, in accordance with the rulings of the State Religious Authority.
The management of the burial of the remains of Muslims is allowed by following resolution of the State Religious Authority.
Prayer activities in Houses of Worship other than Islam are allowed to individuals who have been fully-vaccinated, but subject to regulations and SOPs by the Ministry of Unity Country (KPN).
Marriage registration for non-Muslims at the National Registration Department (JPN), Houses of Worship, and religious associations are allowed, according to regulations the JPN.
Funeral management for Muslims and non-Muslims is allowed by following KPN ruling.

Applicable to: Phases One, Two, and Three

Movement control

According to MKN:

A maximum of two (2) household representatives are allowed to get supply of food, medicine, dietary supplements, and basic necessities within a radius not exceeding 10km from his residence;
A maximum of three (3) persons, including patients, are allowed to get healthcare services, medical, screening tests, vaccination programmes, security or emergency within a radius not exceeding 10km from his residence, or to the place closest to his residence in the event of health services or the medicine that isn’t within a 10km radius of his residence;
A maximum of two passengers are allowed in taxis and e-hailing, including the driver, which passengers must sit at the back.;
Activities and services at all airports and ports are allowed to operate for 24 hours, and
Sea and land public transport services such as employee transport, stop-and-go buses, ferries and other public transport are allowed to operate with 50% capacity.

Applicable to: Phases One and Two

For Phase Three:

A maximum of three (3) household representatives are allowed out only for obtain supplies of food, medicine, dietary supplements and basic necessities.
A maximum of three (3) people only including patients are allowed out for obtain health care services, medical, screening tests, programs vaccination, safety or emergency.
A maximum of three (3) passengers are allowed in taxis and e-hailing, including the driver, which passengers must sit at the back.
Activities and services at all airports and ports are allowed to operate for 24 hours, and
Sea and land public transport services such as employee transport, stop-and-go buses, ferries and other public transport are allowed to operate with full capacity of the vehicle.

Public services

According to MKN, for Phase One:

Work-from-home (BDR) is the default, but excluded for frontliners, security, defence and enforcement services;
Attendance at the office is only allowed for necessary services, and does not exceed a capacity of 40% at a time;
Government service counters are allowed to operate physically from 1 July 2021 if it involves:

Services that cannot be performed online;
Attendance in office not exceeding 50% capacity at a time;
Scheduled appointments with clients, and
Attendance in the office accompanied by official instruction documents and employee pass.

For Phase Two:

Work arrangement is subjected to the current direction of the Secretary of State;
Government offices to operate in a hybrid manner (i.e. work-from-office and BDR). Attendance in the office must not exceed a capacity of 60% at a time, with 40% of employees placed in BDR by rotation;
Counter services are open subject to the current instructions of the Secretary General Country, and
Attendance in the office must be accompanied by official instruction documents and employee pass.

For Phase Three:

Work arrangement is subjected to the current direction of the Secretary of State;
Government offices to operate in a hybrid manner (i.e. work-from-office and BDR). Attendance in the office must not exceed a capacity of 80% at a time, with 20% of employees placed in BDR by rotation;
Counter services are open subject to the current instructions of the Secretary General Country, and
Attendance in the office must be accompanied by official instruction documents and employee pass.

Private services

According to MKN, for Phase One:

All service sectors need to be approved by the Ministry or related agencies before operating during this period;
Movement of workers is subject to registration or operating approval letter or employee pass or employer confirmation letter, and
Attendance in office, including operations and management, must not exceed a capacity of 60%.

For Phase Two:

All service sectors need to be approved by the Ministry or related agencies before operating during this period;
Movement of workers is subject to registration or operating approval letter or employee pass or employer confirmation letter, and
Attendance in office, including operations and management, must not exceed a capacity of 80%.

For Phase Three:

Movement of workers is subject to a registration or operating approval letter, an employee pass or employer confirmation letter, and
Attendance in office, including operations and management, must not exceed a capacity of 80%.

Meeting, seminars, workshop, training courses, and talks

Meetings should be conducted by video conference.
Seminars, workshops, courses, trainings and talks are not allowed, except for in-house training services that can be performed in the training area through the camp-based training method.
Seminars, workshops, courses, trainings and talks conducted are to be conducted online.
Interviews that need to be conducted are allowed in-person and online.

Applicable to: Phases One and Two

For Phase Three:

Face-to-face meetings of government and private agencies are allowed with capacity not exceeding 50%, and with social distancing measures;
Formal councils are allowed with 50% capacity, and with social distancing measures;
Meetings involving external agencies are encouraged by video conferencing;
Seminars, workshops, courses, trainings and talks are not allowed except for in-house training services that can be performed in the training area through the camp-based training method;
Seminars, workshops, courses, trainings and talks conducted are to be conducted online; and
Interviews that need to be conducted are allowed in-person and online.

Business and services

According to MKN, for Phase One:

Restaurant operators including those in hotels, sports and recreation club houses, eateries, stalls dining, food trucks, roadside hawkers, food courts, hawker centres, roadside food stalls or kiosks are allowed to operate between 6.00 am until 10.00 pm by takeaway, drive-through or delivery;
Dine-in and park & dine services are prohibited;
Picnic activities are prohibited;
Grocery stores, convenience stores, personal care shops and mini marts are allowed to operate between 8.00 am to 8.00 pm;
Daily necessities stores such as hardware stores, vehicle workshops, baby goods stores and religious items are allowed to operate between 8.00 am to 8.00 pm;
Health services such as hospitals, clinics and medical laboratories are allowed to operate up to 24 hours, or according to the operating permit licence;
The pharmacy is allowed to operate from 8.00 am to 8.00 pm;
Petrol stations are allowed to operate from 6.00 am to 8.00 pm, except stations on tolled highways can operate for up to 24 hours;
Supermarkets, hypermarkets and department stores are allowed to operate from 8.00 am to 8.00 am night;
Book and stationery stores, computer stores and telecommunications are allowed to operate from 8.00 am to 8.00 pm;
Animal clinics and pet food shops are allowed to operate from 8.00 am to 8.00 pm, and
Laundry shops, laundromats and eyewear shops are allowed to operate from 8.00 am until 8.00 pm. Self-service laundromats need to make sure employees in the premises adhere to the prescribed SOPs.

For Phase Two:

Restaurant operators include in hotels, sports and recreation club houses, eateries, stalls dining, food trucks, roadside hawkers, food courts, hawker centres, roadside food stalls or kiosks are allowed to operate between 6.00 am until 10.00 pm by takeaway, drive-through or delivery. Dine-in service is allowed for customers who are fully-vaccinated**.
Park & dine service is prohibited;
Picnic activities are prohibited;
Grocery stores, pharmacies, personal care stores, convenience stores and mini marts are allowed operates from 6.00 am to 10.00 pm;
Daily necessities stores such as hardware stores, vehicle workshops, baby goods stores and religious items are allowed to operate from 6.00 am to 10.00 pm;
Health services such as hospitals, clinics and medical laboratories are allowed to operate up to 24 hours, or according to the operating permit license;
Petrol stations are allowed to operate from 6.00 am to 10.00 pm, except stations on tolled highways can operate for up to 24 hours;
Supermarkets, hypermarkets and department stores are allowed to operate from 6.00 am until 10.00 pm;
Book and stationery stores, computer and telecommunication stores and electrical goods stores are allowed to operate from 6.00 am to 10.00 pm;
Barber shop (basic barber services only) and beauty salon (basic barber service only) are allowed to operate from 6.00 am to 10.00 pm;
Animal clinics and pet food shops are allowed to operate from 6.00 am to 10.00 pm;
Laundry shops, laundromats, car washes and eyewear shops are allowed to operate from 6.00 am to 10.00 pm. Self-service laundromats need to make sure employees in the premises adhere to the prescribed SOPs.

For Phase Three:

Restaurant operators including those in hotels, sports and recreation club houses, eateries, food stalls, food trucks, roadside hawkers, circulating hawkers, fields eateries, hawker centers, roadside food stalls or kiosks are allowed to operate from 6.00 am to 12.00 am;
Food sales activities are dine-in, take-away, drive-by or delivery;
Health services such as hospitals, clinics, medical laboratories, veterinary hospitals and veterinary clinics can operate for up to 24 hours or according to an operating permit licence;
Petrol stations are allowed to operate from 6.00 am to 12.00 am, except stations on toll highways, which can operate for up to 24 hours;
All distribution trade sectors are allowed to operate from 6.00 am until 12.00 am, or in accordance with the terms of the licence, and
Spa, reflexology, massage centres, wellness as well as pedicure and manicure services are not allowed to operate.

**Dine-in

Dine-in service is allowed if operators comply with the following conditions:
- To accept customers who have been fully-vaccinated, and display at entrance of the business premises that only a fully-vaccinated customer can patronise;
- To display at entrance of business premises the number of employees who have been fully-vaccinated complete.
- To ensure the tables have social distancing between each other, and premises to be well-ventilated, and
- To only allow 50% capacity per table.

“For couples who have been fully-vaccinated, (they) are allowed to bring children (aged 17 years and below) to dine-in at the premises,” MKN noted.

Applicable to: Phases Two and Three

Markets

Daily markets and public markets are allowed to operate from 6.00 am to 4.00 pm, subject to local authority (PBT), with SOP compliance and supervision members of RELA or PBT;
Controlled fresh markets (PST) are allowed to operate from 7.00 am to 2.00 pm;
Permanent farmers' markets (PTK), MyFarm outlets (MFO) and Area Farmers Organisation Complexes (PPK) are allowed to operate from 6.00 am to 4.00 pm;
The wholesale market is allowed to operate from 12.01 am to 6.00 am and 11.00 am to 4.00 pm, subject to the local authority (PBT) with compliance with SOPs and supervision of RELA or PBT members;
Night markets, morning markets, farmers markets and weekly markets are not allowed to operate.

Applicable to: Phases One and Two

For Phase Three:

Daily markets and public markets are allowed to operate from 6.00 am to 4.00 pm, subject to local authority (PBT), with compliance SOP and supervision of RELA or PBT members;
Controlled fresh markets are allowed to operate from 7.00 am until 2.00 pm;
Permanent farmers' markets, MyFarm outlets and Area Farmers Organisation Complexes are allowed to operate from 6.00 am to 6.00 pm;
The wholesale market is allowed to operate from 12.01 am to 6.00 am and 11.00 am to 4.00 pm, subject to local authority (PBT) with compliance with SOPs and supervision of RELA or PBT members;
Farmers' markets and morning markets are allowed to operate from 7.00 am to 1.00 pm;
Night markets and week markets are allowed to operate according to licenses/permits until 12.00 am.

Creative industries

Development and broadcasting of creative content by recording or live broadcast including animation, filming, drama, promotion, sitcoms, dance arts activities, theatre arts, musical arts, cultural performances and heritage and music art are not allowed, except for talks and live streaming, and
Broadcast by recording or live broadcast of a programme in the form of a presentation (other than entertainment) such as news, forums, and chats are allowed.

Applicable to: Phases One and Two

For Phase Three:

Development and broadcasting of creative content by recording or live broadcast including animation, filming, drama, promotion, sitcoms, dance arts activities, theatre arts, musical arts, cultural performances and heritage and music art are allowed without an audience, with the total attendance of management and crew limited to 70% capacity, and
Creative content filming activities inside and outside the studio (outdoor) are allowed with strict compliance with SOPs.

Entertainment

According to MKN:

Indoor and outdoor busking activities are allowed with social distancing measures;
Performances in hotel lounged are allowed with a capacity of 50% and with social distancing measures, and
Drive-in cinema activities are allowed.

Applicable to: Phase Three

Mining and quarrying

According to MKN, for Phase One:

Supply of minerals and rock material and their movement from mines or quarries to premises or sites of major public infrastructure construction projects and works building construction is allowed;
Supply of cement and its movement to the premises or construction project site, major public infrastructure and building construction works, is allowed;
Mine and quarry maintenance works are allowed, and
The operation of mines and quarries is allowed, with a capacity not exceeding 60%.

Update - Companies with 60% of employees fully-vaccinated, can operate at 80% capacity; with 80% of employees fully-vaccinated, can operate at 100% capacity. Per MKN's latest announcement, RTK Antigen testing on employees will be performed every two weeks at a cost borne by the employer.

For Phases Two and Three:

Supply of minerals and rock material and their movement from mines or quarries to premises or sites of major public infrastructure construction projects and works building construction is allowed;
Supply of cement and its movement to the premises or construction project site, major public infrastructure and building construction works, is allowed;
Mine and quarry maintenance works are allowed, and
The operation of mines and quarries is allowed with a capacity not exceeding 80%.

Update - Companies with less than 80% of employees fully-vaccinated, can operate at 80% capacity; with 80% to 100% of employees fully-vaccinated, can operate at 100% capacity. Per MKN's latest announcement, RTK Antigen testing on employees will be performed every two weeks at a cost borne by the employer.

Trade and distribution

According to MKN, for Phase One:

Businesses are only allowed to operate in states where it has a population of fully-vaccinated at 50%.
Customers who enter the following facilities (below) must produce a COVID-19 Digital Vaccination Card/Certificate.
Business owners must ensure that customers who enter the premises must have a COVID-19 Digital Vaccination Card/Certificate.

The facilities are: