2-hour limit for visits 'not practical' to enforce, says Malaysia malls association
FILE PHOTO: People wearing protective masks cross a street in front of Petronas Twin Towers, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia November 5, 2020. REUTERS/Lim Huey Teng
KUALA LUMPUR: A new government directive that shoppers can only spend a maximum of two hours in retail premises is “not practical" to enforce, said the Malaysia Shopping Malls Association (PPKM).
This came after the authorities announced on Sunday (May 24) that people should limit their visits to retail premises to two hours. The new rule kicks in on Tuesday.
In a statement on Sunday, the trade body said it fully agreed with limiting shopping time to assist with the tightened movement control measures. However, once shoppers enter a mall, management personnel have no control over where patrons would visit and could not track their movements, said the statement.
Malls could only put up signages at their entrances and common areas, and advise businesses to do the same at their premises, along with announcements to remind shoppers, the statement added.
READ: Record deaths, ICU patients as Malaysia reports more than 6,000 new COVID-19 cases for 6th straight day
“Since the outbreak of this pandemic in 2020, our car parking records have shown that shoppers are already spending 1 to 1.5 hours shorter than the norm of average 3 hours,” PPKM said.
“Apart from this, we opine that it is not practical for anyone to stop a shopper asking to check his or her MySejahtera (contact tracing app) to audit the time of entry nor do we have the authority to do so."
“We do acknowledge that the authorities are aiming for tighter control but again, such measures must both be practical and doable,” the association stated.
On Monday, Minister for Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Alexander Nanta Linggi said random enforcement checks would be conducted at popular retail outlets to ensure shoppers abided by the two-hour limit.
The minister told reporters said the onus was on the public to practice self-control and reduce their shopping time, as the ministry had a limited number of enforcement officers.
“For the ministry, we have enforcement officers, over 2,200 across the country, we will focus on concentrated areas which have been identified,” he said.
READ: Malaysia probes allegations of underdosage of COVID-19 shots
Pavilion Kuala Lumpur’s chief executive officer Joyce Yap said the mall management has regularly informed and reminded shoppers of the latest standard operating procedures (SOPs) via prominent and strategically placed signages.
“Our SOP Mall Ambassadors also deter large congregations in common areas and ensure that precautionary measures such as contract tracing using Myejahtera app, masks and practicing social distancing are adhered to at all times,” Ms Yap said.
Meanwhile, Mr H C Chan, the chief executive officer for Sunway Malls and Theme Parks said while the intention of the two-hour limit was understood, guidance on effective monitoring by the authorities had to be clearer and more practical for malls to implement.
“Both stay duration and human capacity are much lower and within safe levels. We have already worked with our business partners to ensure each shop states the maximum capacity within their shops,” Mr Chan said.
On Saturday, the government announced tighter restrictions that will kick in on May 25 under the current Movement Control Order (MCO 3.0). These include more people being made to work from home, while business operating hours were reduced to between 8am to 8pm, among others.
Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said in an interview on Sunday that a full COVID-19 lockdown with all sectors shut like what was imposed last year would guarantee people’s safety, but there is a risk that the economy could collapse.
On Monday, Malaysia logged 6,509 new COVID-19 cases. There are now more than 500,000 cases nationwide.
BOOKMARK THIS: Our comprehensive coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic and its developments
Download our app or subscribe to our Telegram channel for the latest updates on the coronavirus outbreak: https://cna.asia/telegram
