COMMENT | Below are two quotes from Malaysiakini reports yesterday. The first: “Workers of at least two factories and one office in non-essential sectors, located in areas under the enhanced movement control order (MCO) in Selangor, have received letters allowing them to operate.

"According to the Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC), the letters were issued by the International Trade and Industry Ministry (Miti) on July 4, allowing operations to start from July 5.

"MTUC’s Selangor and Federal Territories chairperson Wan Noorulazhar Mohd Hanafiah said the division received complaints from workers of two electronic factories and one research division of a company in a non-essential sector.

The factories and offices are located in Klang and Teluk Panglima Garang in Kuala Langat, both districts under an enhanced MCO.”

The second: “Earlier today, Malaysiakini quoted an International Trade and Industry Ministry (Miti) source saying that a letter for Top Glove to operate in an enhanced MCO area has been revoked.

"The source said it was revoked because they are not on the list of essential services in the NSC's SOP. During a system configuration, some companies were able to download the (approval) letter but they still can't use the letter because the SOP supersedes everything," the source added.

"Malaysiakini had earlier sighted Miti's Covid-19 Intelligent Management System (Cims) letter for Top Glove to operate its factory in Klang. The Miti source stressed that Cims letters for non-essential companies to operate in these areas are not valid.”

Once again, confusion reigns supreme. It appears the government’s left hand either does not know what its right hand is doing or simply does not care.

Either way, it’s bad news for the rakyat. International Trade and Industry Minister Azmin Ali is in charge of giving out approvals for which businesses can operate.

He has long been ...