By Adrian Lim
KUCHING, Nov 16: The Local Government and Housing Ministry has moved to tighten up the standard operating procedures (SOPs) and compliance enforcement for the retail sector.
Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas said the SOPs in Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) and Recovery Movement Control Order (RMCO) areas will be enhanced effective November 18.
“The Local Government and Housing Ministry has looked into the SOPs which are being enforced at the moment. The ministry feels that there is a need for the SOPs to be improved.
“With the improvement, there will be more physical distancing being practised by the public,” he said when asked by reporters on the need to amend the SOPs for the retail sector during a press conference after delivering state Covid-19 updates here today.
Uggah who is also the State Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) chairman said the committee viewed the compliance with SOPs by the public and businesses seriously.
He added this includes SOPs for workers in manufacturing, construction, plantation, retail, and food and beverage (F&B) industries in Sarawak.
Uggah stressed that SDMC wanted to ensure workers and employees complied with the SOPs at all times.
Thus, he explained that the Ministry of Local Government and Housing has amended the SOPs for the retail sector in the near term.
Citing the use of thermal scanners to measure body temperature at the entrance of a retail outlet as an example, Uggah observed that no staff was monitoring the measurement of body temperatures when customers wanted to enter the retail outlet.
Thus, amending the SOPs is to tighten up enforcement and to ensure that the public and businesses comply with the SOPs issued by SDMC and the Ministry of Health.
On another note, Uggah disclosed that all tuition centres and kindergarten in Covid-19 green zones in Sarawak are allowed to resume their operations from tomorrow (November 17).
He reminded the operators to adhere to the SOPs which have been issued. — DayakDaily
