LETTER | The extension of the full movement control order (MCO) from June 1 to 28 for the entire country is drastically and tragically damaging to businesses and the economy. The announcement of the National Recovery Plan based on the threshold of absolute numbers of Covid-19 cases is too broad-brushed and imprecise and will result in unnecessary losses.
With the upcoming deadline to review the next course of action, we appeal to the government to judiciously research the data and incidences of Covid-19 cases by economic sector and by locality.
The Ministry of Health (MOH) data reveals that the retail and shopping sector contributed merely 0.8 percent of all cases in May 2021, even prior to the FMCO lockdown which started on June 1. These significantly improved and extremely low figures testify to the retail and mall industry's strict adherence to the standard operating procedures (SOPs) and they should not be unduly penalised with closure. Thus, we believe the retail and shopping sector should be reopened immediately to provide essential and other services to the community without risk of infectivity.
Activities that are not able to comply with the social distancing requirements and crowding have already been listed in the negative list. Opportunities to congregate are now non-existent with the closure of cinemas, gyms, spas, dancing and merry-making in pubs and entertainment centres etc. All promotional events normally held in the concourse and halls that attract crowds are also not allowed.
The people are also aware they cannot linger and browse in the malls and the duration of their visits has significantly been reduced from the normal three to four hours to merely 1.5 to two hours. These shoppers are diligently practising social distancing and wearing face masks at all times.
Malls only allow entry to those whose MySejahtera status is "low risk" and whose temperatures do not exceed 37.5 degrees Celsius.
Malls are thus very safe places to visit and serve as avenues for some relief, both physically and mentally, while you are doing your shopping chores for food and other necessities.
We appeal to the government to take all these positive factors into account in the upcoming review and allow the immediate reopening of all trades in the malls (except for those in the negative list).
At present, already 20-30 percent of shops in the malls have been closed due to the adverse conditions of the past 16 months, and with 30 percent of staff being laid off, this amounts to 300,000 personnel.
We foresee that in the event the mall and retail industry is not reopened by the beginning of July, another 50 percent of the remaining malls will be closing their doors for good, including prominent domestic and international retail brands, with more employees at risk of being laid off. Once these international brands exit from our country, it will be doubly difficult to attract them back.
With these massive lay-offs and shop closures, the entire retail and shopping mall industry will be grievously and critically damaged. It will need massive efforts and time to re-build the malls’ ecosystem or the malls themselves will permanently close, and the retail supply chain will be deeply fractured.
Any prolongation in the reopening of the malls will cause irreparable damage to both the retail and shopping mall industry, which may not recover for the next few years, leaving us far behind in the economic recovery process.
Therefore, we seek the government’s urgent consideration to mitigate the effects of the closure on our sector.
Lives and livelihoods matter.
This letter represents the views of the following associations:
- Persatuan Pengurusan Kompleks Malaysia (PPK) (or Malaysia Shopping Malls Association)
- Malaysia Retailers Association (MRA)
- Malaysia Retail Chain Association (MRCA)
- Bumiputra Retailers Organisation (BRO)
- The Selangor & Wilayah Persekutuan (KL) Electrical Home Appliances Dealers‘ Association (SWEDA)
The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.
