Phase 3 National Recovery Plan for Johor: What You Should Know

The COVID-19 Pandemic Management Special Committee has agreed to shift Johor from Phase 2 (since 24^th of September) to Phase 3 under the National Recovery Plan (NRP), which will take effect on Friday, the 8^th of October 2021.

Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein, Senior Defence Minister said the decision was made based on the NRP’s guidelines and after considering the current risk assessment supplied by the Health Ministry and the National Security Council (NSC).

According to him in a statement, the standard operating procedures (SOPs) for the shifting states are the same as what has been set before and updates by NSC would be available at its website www.mkn.gov.my.

While the #ReopeningSafely campaign was in full swing, Hishammuddin emphasised the need for everyone to remain attentive and accepting the fact that they will have to live with the COVID-19 virus.

“However, those with serious symptoms must seek medical treatment quickly,” he said.

Here is a FAQ on the new National Recovery Plan Phase 3’s SOP that was released on the 4^th of October 2021.

Benefits for Fully Vaccinated People in Phase 3 Areas

• Spouses in long-distance relationships are ALLOWED to travel inter-state or inter-district to meet each other, on the condition that they must both be fully vaccinated, and have been verified by PDRM.
• Parents or guardians who have children under the age of 18 years living in a different state or district are ALLOWED to travel to meet them, on the condition both parents are fully vaccinated and have been verified by PDRM.

The PDRM permission letter must be shown to pass through roadblocks.

Overseas Travellers

Malaysian nationals or foreigners with houses in Malaysia (including PR and Malaysia My Second Home participants) arriving from abroad are ALLOWED to undergo required quarantine at home if properly vaccinated, subject to limitations, upon receiving a digital Home Surveillance Order (HSO).

Dine-In

Restaurants, such as hotels, sports and recreational clubs, food establishments, food stalls, food trucks, roadside vendors, mobile vendors, food courts, hawker centres, and food kiosks, are ALLOWED to provide dine-in services, subject to certain requirements.

Sports and Recreation

• All sports and recreational activities with physical contact performed OUTDOORS are LIMITED to individuals who are fully vaccinated, from 6 am until 12 midnight, subject to strict SOPs.
• All sports and recreational activities with or without physical contact, performed INDOORS are LIMITED to 6 am until 12 midnight.
• Competitions or championships, with or without contact, using the Sports Bubble model are only allowed WITH PERMISSION from the Ministry of Youth and Sports (KBS).

Tourism

• Tourism is only allowed within the same state, involving hotels and homestay.
• Visitations at public cultural premises such as museums, galleries, archives, handicraft centres, memorials, libraries and cultural complexes, cultural villages or centres, and cultural shows by appointment are allowed.
• Zoos, farms, aquariums, snorkelling, scuba diving, fishing, and jungles are all allowed to operate.
• Theme parks and family entertainment centres are allowed to operate.
• Pub and nightclub activities onboard are FORBIDDEN.

Religion

• Individuals who are completely vaccinated are ALLOWED to pray at the mosque and surau, subject to the rules and SOPs of the state religious authority.
• Individuals who are completely vaccinated are ALLOWED to pray at non-Muslim religious places, subject to the Ministry of National Unity’s laws and SOPs.

Spa, Wellness and Massage Parlours

• Customers and operators must be completely vaccinated, not COVID-19 positive or in close contact with positive cases, and not symptomatic in order for spas, wellness centres, and massage parlours to operate.
• Walk-in is not allowed. Only customers with prior appointments are allowed.

Creative and Entertainment Industry

• All creative industry practitioners who are fully vaccinated are ALLOWED to resume including live performance, broadcasting and recording subject to conditions.
• Cinema activities are ALLOWED up to 80% of cinema capacity with properly vaccinated employees and moviegoers.

Government and Private Official Events

Official events by the government or private sector, including inaugurations and so on, are allowed, subject to conditions

MICE

Seminar, workshop, course, training and talk are allowed, subject to conditions.

Travel Restrictions

• Inter-district travel in the same state is ALLOWED.
• Interstate travel is FORBIDDEN, except for long-distance couples, children in other states/districts, or individuals who have been given PDRM or KKM permission to travel interstate.
• All entry and exit into the area will be closed and controlled by the police (PDRM).
• Interstate and inter-district travel for the purpose of going for vaccination is ALLOWED by showing the appointment in MySejahtera, website or SMS.
• Interstate travel between Phase 2 and Phase 3 areas is ALLOWED for husbands and wives in long-distance relationships who are not fully vaccinated, with police permission using these documents.

Employee capacity for the private sector is limited to 80%.

All offices not listed under essential services are allowed to operate at these vaccination rates:

• Face-to-face meetings are ALLOWED for fully-vaccinated individuals, limited to 50% of meeting room capacity.
• Meetings must be conducted via video conferencing for individuals who are not fully vaccinated.
• It is encouraged to conduct meetings through video conferencing.
• Critical interviews are ALLOWED either face-to-face or online.

Business Activities

• Restaurants, food stores, food stalls, food trucks, hawkers, food courts, and hawker centres (including those in hotels and sports and recreation clubhouses). Food kiosks are permitted to operate from 6 am until 12 midnight.
• Food may only be purchased by takeaway, drive-through or delivery, with the exception of fully vaccinated customers who may dine-in. For social events, dine-in services are strictly prohibited.
• Dine-in is permitted with a minimum physical distance of 1 metre.
• Hospitals, clinics, and medical laboratories are ALLOWED to function 24 hours a day, seven days a week, or up to their licenced operating hours.
• Except for those on tolled highways, which can run 24 hours a day, gas stations, including convenience stores within them, can operate from 6 am to 12 midnight.
• All commerce and distribution sectors are ALLOWED to function between the hours of 6 am and 12 midnight, or as determined by their company licence.
• Daily and public markets are ALLOWED to operate from 6 am to 4 pm, subject to local authorities’ approval, sufficient SOPs, and RELA / PBT oversight.

For more information please refer to Johor National Security Council and NSC website.