A total of 10 million pieces of face masks will be brought in from China in stages to meet the shortage of the item in the country, said Senior Minister of Works Fadillah Yusof.

He said the supply of face mask is part of the agreement between Malaysia and China.

Transport Ministry is in the process of bringing in the item, he added.

“We are finalising the process and it is expected to be carried out as soon as possible,” he said in a news conference after chairing the Special Ministerial Committee on the Movement Control Order (MCO) here today.

Yesterday, Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Alexander Nanta Linggi announced that the ceiling price of the face mask was raised from 80 sen to RM2 per piece, besides permission to allow imports of the item to meet a shortage in the domestic market.

Elaborating further, Fadillah said once arrived, the face masks would be distributed by the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma).

“The priority for these masks will be the frontliners, those who are handling COVID-19 cases, clinics, Ministry of Health, police, Immigration and military personnel, among others, ” he said.

He added if there were an extra of the item, only then it would be put in the market for the public.

Fadillah said the distribution for the market would also be handled by Nadma and Pharmaniaga.

Meanwhile, on the instructions to restrict the operation of shops that sell food or essential goods in each state, Fadillah said the ministerial committee at its meeting yesterday decided to give the power to the respective state governments to issue the order.

Among states that had issued such order are Melaka and Pahang.

- Bernama