Spa, reflexology centres, MICE, travel fairs allowed from July 1

Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaacob

By Adrian Lim

KUCHING, June 26: The federal government has allowed spa, wellness, reflexology centres to resume their operations starting from July 1.

Senior Minister (Security) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said the federal government has also allowed the activities for tourism sub-sector which include meetings, incentives, conferencing, exhibitions (MICE) as well as travel and trade fairs to be organised commencing from next month.

He disclosed that the decision was made following the Special Cabinet Ministerial meeting on the Recovery Movement Control Order (RMCO) held earlier today.

“For spa, wellness and reflexology centres, we also allow the blind masseurs to reopen on July 1.

“The federal government is fully aware of the livelihood and income of the blind masseurs which were impacted by the Movement Control Order (MCO).

“Nonetheless, only reflexology centres or foot massage outlets with Malaysian workers are allowed to reopen and the workers are required to undergo the Covid-19 swab test before reopening,” he said during a press conference on the implementation of the RMCO taskforce at Putrajaya today.

He said that only spa, wellness and reflexology centres registered with the local authorities are allowed to resume operations on July 1, adding that they must also comply with the standard operating procedures (SOPs) outlined by the Health Ministry and the National Security Council.

As for MICE and travel fairs, Ismail Sabri explained the decision to allow these activities to be organised was made following consultation with the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MoTAC).

Nonetheless, he stressed that organisers must ensure all the SOPs are being adhered to.

For instance, limiting the number of visitors at any one time to 250 persons, controlling the crowd, providing body temperature measurement, hand sanitisers, implementing social distancing and so forth.

He disclosed that visitors who are going to travel and trade fairs are required to download the MySejahtera app for registration purposes while attending the exhibitions.

On another note, Ismail Sabri, who is Defence Minister, said the federal government has agreed to allow tuition centres, special education schools and private learning institutions to reopen.

However, he disclosed that the date of the reopening as well as the details on the SOPs would be announced by the Education Ministry in due course.

Ismail Sabri revealed that the Education Ministry has presented the SOPs for the reopening of tuition centres to the special ministerial cabinet meeting today. —DayakDaily