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Penang Mayor Datuk Yew Tung Seang says the island welcomes both visitors
and locals returning home to meet their families after a long travel
hiatus. – The Vibes file pic, October 13, 2021
GEORGE TOWN – The Penang Island City Council (MBPP) is bracing for an expected influx of 50,000 tourists this weekend and has frozen leave for 78% of its staff.
Mayor Datuk Yew Tung Seang said the island welcomes both visitors and locals returning home to meet their families after a long travel hiatus.
Many will be taking the opportunity to travel as the Tuesday after the weekend is a public holiday to celebrate Prophet Muhammad’s birthday.
“We are not only expecting an influx of tourists. From what is reported by the Malaysian Meteorological Department, Penang will also be expecting a heavy downpour this weekend with 300-500mm of rain.
“When that happens, we will need to be on alert for possible landslides and flash floods,” he said at a press conference here today.
“We will be working closely with police to monitor hotspots such as the Esplanade and action will be taken if there are any breaches of SOPs.”
There has already been a significant increase in traffic and use of urban services since the interstate travel ban was lifted on Monday, Yew said.
Therefore, he said, it is necessary that city council staff remain working to ensure the island’s safety and cleanliness.
Out of 3,019 staff, 2,342 are expected to come back to work from October 15 to 19. Leaves that were approved beforehand for workers required for this period are being annulled.
Many other workers are expected to be on standby as they may be called back to work if the need arises.
Yew also reminded the public that the city council’s Intelligent Operation Centre, which has almost 1,000 closed-circuit television cameras functioning as “eyes in the sky” will be in full swing as the authorities will be on the lookout for those who do not comply with SOPs.
He urged those coming back to see their loved ones to observe the “green bubble” precaution and self-test for Covid-19, entering the state only if the result is negative.
The MBPP hotline and WhatsApp numbers at 04-2637637 and 016-2004082 respectively will continue operating on a 24-hour basis to tend to any complaints or issues that may crop up. – The Vibes, October 13, 2021
While more doctors are looking at using time outside as a medical
strategy, park prescription programmes face issues of access. Photo:
Unsplash/Jon Flobrant
When Annette Coen went for a health check-up last summer in Washington state, she and her doctor discussed concerns around her weight and asthma. Then her doctor offered a novel prescription: regular hikes in the woods.
He gave Coen a one-year pass to Washington's state park system and told her to "go for walks, go camping, do what you need to do," Coen, now 53, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.
A year on, she said the park prescription was a "great experience" for her and her whole family. "I have lost 13.6 kg since April this year... just being out and about," she said.
With the Covid-19 pandemic highlighting the health benefits of spending more time outdoors, a growing faction of the US medical community is prescribing time outside the same way they would traditional medication.
The idea of writing out park or nature prescriptions has taken hold particularly among pediatricians.
"It all came together" during the pandemic, said Maya Moody, president-elect of the Missouri chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), pointing to spikes in childhood anxiety and pediatric obesity since the coronavirus outbreak started.
With lockdowns keeping children indoors, "we were seeing 30-, 50-, 60-pound weight gains," said Moody, who attends to around 3,000 low-income children in the St. Louis area.
This April, she became one of about a dozen pediatricians across the state who have started offering nature prescriptions.
"When I give a prescription, it's
specific, just like an antibiotic. They use it for this many days, and I say go to this park," she explained.
Buy-in has differed with different age groups, Moody noted, with younger children and their parents being more open to the approach but teenagers expressing skepticism.
"Sixteen- and 17-year-olds look at me and say, 'You want me to get off TikTok and get an actual tick in the woods?'" she said.
But Moody said the fact that doctors and health experts are now seriously looking at how something as simple as a walk in the park can help patients is exciting.
A spokesperson for the AAP said the group is forming a committee on the issue of nature prescriptions but declined to offer additional details.
Take a walk
Nature prescriptions are still new, so there is little data on their effectiveness, but one 2018 analysis by researchers from Britain's University of East Anglia did find they "may have substantial benefits".
There has been much more research done on the general benefits of being outdoors - in one example, starting next month, a study supported by the Welsh government will look at the benefits of treating hospital patients outside.
In more than 500 scientific studies in recent years, researchers have linked time spent in nature with decreased anxiety, reduced risk of obesity and even reduced overall mortality, said Maryland-based pediatrician Stacy Beller Stryer.
Stryer is also associate medical director with Park Rx America, an online platform that helps medical professionals write nature prescriptions.
Using its database of thousands of parks and public lands, prescribers can filter by activity, distance from a patient's home and amenities such as playgrounds.
"Once (the patient) decides on where to go, the prescriber talks about what they should do - maybe walk a dog? And how often - maybe every Monday, Wednesday and Friday for 30 minutes?" she said.
Writing out an actual prescription for time in nature gives patients a useful extra push, said Brent A. Bauer, research director of integrative medicine and health at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota.
"More than half of my patients who receive a 'prescription' for time in nature go ahead and do so successfully," he said.
A census of park prescription programmes last year estimated that there were more than 100 nationwide.
The Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy began a pilot programme in collaboration with the UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh in 2016, after a pediatric resident was leading patients in a weight management clinic, said Kathryn Hunninen, a senior manager with the conservancy.
"He wanted to encourage patients to get outside but didn't know where to send them," she said.
"This started with an inquiry from him to the parks system and has blossomed from there."
In a 2018 survey, more than 80% of personnel at participating Pittsburgh clinics said they were frequently recommending that patients visit parks.
Last year, Salt Lake County in Utah offered park prescriptions to its employees "to improve or maintain physical and mental health while building sustainable health behaviors," Sarah Kinnison, who oversaw the programme, said in an email.
That first year, 335 employees participated, and the county is running the program again this fall.
Financial stability
While more doctors are looking at using time outside as a medical strategy, park prescription programmes face issues of access.
In low-income neighborhoods, parks are four times smaller and more crowded on average than parks in high-income areas, said a study released last year by the Trust for Public Land, a nonprofit that analysed government data from 14,000 US towns and cities.
It also remains unclear how to keep the programmes financially sustainable. Currently they have to rely on ad hoc funding, often cobbled together from grants, philanthropy or as publicly funded pilot projects.
The costs involved are not particularly high, but they do exist, said Bradford S. Gentry, co-director of the Center for Business and the Environment at Yale University.
They could include the costs of park passes, the salaries of community health workers and park workers to coordinate and lead programmes, and transportation to and from the green space, he said.
"If there are all of these (health) benefits, how do we move from grant funding or public funding to health systems funding?" asked Gentry, who focuses on the intersection of health and land conservation. "I haven't found an answer yet."
The US Department of Health and Human Services did not respond to a request for comment.
Gentry pointed to Oregon, where work is underway to try to address the funding issue by requesting that certain federal rules be waived involving Medicaid, the US government's health care programme for low-income people.
Every five years states have the opportunity to request such a waiver, if they can show it will result in better care and cost no extra money, said Lori Coyner, who was the state's Medicaid director until July and is now senior Medicaid policy adviser at the Oregon Health Authority.
The state's waiver request is due in December, when it plans to ask for more flexibility in how local organisations address health issues.
"We believe there is real opportunity to use some of these Medicaid dollars... to promote spending more time outdoors," Coyner said. - Thomson Reuters Foundation
Penang (2,474) reached a new record Sspt 8, 2021. Hospitalisation of Covid-19 patients has also been trending up, despite 49.4 percent of its population being vaccinated. [see vaccination chart below]
Hospital bed use for Covid-19 patients in Penang has reached 109 percent - the highest in the country - while intensive care bed use is 93.2 percent. [see hospitalisation chart below]
In Sarawak (3,100), the authorities said 99.87 percent of new cases involved patients in Category 1 or 2 (no symptoms or mild symptoms). However, Health Ministry data shows that hospitalisation is still on a 14-day uptrend.
Hospital bed use by Covid-19 patients Negeri Sembilan has dropped 70.9 percent since peaking on July 31.
As of yesterday, the R-naught for the country is 0.95. A R-naught of less than 1.00 suggests that the spread of Covid-19 was slowing down.
The R-naught for the Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Negeri Sembilan have all fallen below 0.90.
Regions where the R-naught is more than 1.00 are Pahang, Perak, Terengganu, Sarawak, Perlis and Penang, Malacca and Johor.
The number of active cases have continued trend downwards today the intensive care bed use is dropping slowly over the past month.
Active cases: 248,673
Patients in ICU: 904*
Intubated: 430*
[Does not include patients classified as 'probable'.]
New cases by states
Sarawak (3,100)
Selangor (2,989)
Penang (2,474)
Sabah (2,067)
Johor (1,867)
Kedah (1,564)
Kelantan (1,471)
Perak (1,319)
Terengganu (904)
Pahang (700)
Kuala Lumpur (537)
Malacca (375)
Negeri Sembilan (256)
Perlis (74)
Putrajaya (29)
Labuan (7)
Deaths
The Health Ministry reported another 361 deaths attributed to Covid-19 today, bringing the national death toll to 19,163.
There were 102 patients who were pronounced dead upon arrival at the hospital of which a quarter were reported in Sabah alone.
Selangor (67) reported the highest number of deaths followed by Johor (65), Sabah (54), Kedah (51), Kuala Lumpur (34), Negeri Sembilan (29), Kelantan (17), Sarawak (10), Terengganu (9), Malacca (8), Perak (6), Penang (5), Pahang (4) and Perlis (2).
Clusters
The Health Ministry is currently monitoring 1,459 active Covid-19 clusters.
Another 35 new clusters were classified today of which 20 involved workplaces.
Industri Jalan Nuri cluster
Category: Workplace
State(s): Selangor
District(s): Kuala Langat
Total infected: 79 out of 122 screened
Tapak Bina Persiaran Elmina cluster
Category: Workplace
State(s): Selangor
District(s): Petaling
Total infected: 67 out of 129 screened
Industri Dua Jalan Anggerik Mokara 47 cluster
Category: Workplace
State(s): Selangor
District(s): Klang
Total infected: 50 out of 167 screened
Industri Dua Jalan Bandar Lama cluster
Category: Workplace
State(s): Selangor
District(s): Kuala Langat and Klang
Total infected: 30 out of 36 screened
Tapak Bina Persiaran Laman View cluster
Category: Workplace
State(s): Selangor
District(s): Sepang
Total infected: 20 out of 69 screened
Tapak Bina Jalan Elegan cluster
Category: Workplace
State(s): Selangor
District(s): Sepang
Total infected: 12 out of 92 screened
Pasar Matu cluster
Category: Workplace
State(s): Sarawak
District(s): Matu
Total infected: 29 out of 121 screened
Tapak Bina Jalan Tasek Mutiara Tujuh cluster
Category: Workplace
State(s): Penang
District(s): Seberang Perai Selatan
Total infected: 123 out of 518 screened
Tapak Bina Jalan Kubang Menerong cluster
Category: Workplace
State(s): Penang
District(s): Seberang Perai Utara and Seberang Perai Tengah
Total infected: 81 out of 290 screened
Jalan Mayang Pasir Tiga cluster
Category: Workplace
State(s): Penang
District(s): Barat Daya and Timur Laut
Total infected: 46 out of 468 screened
Zon Industri Bebas Tiga cluster
Category: Workplace
State(s): Penang
District(s): Barat Daya
Total infected: 21 out of 283 screened
Tapak Bina Jalan Tengku Azizah cluster
Category: Workplace
State(s): Johor
District(s): Johor Bahru
Total infected: 56 out of 235 screened
Industri Jalan Gangsa Kulai cluster
Category: Workplace
State(s): Johor
District(s): Kulai
Total infected: 18 out of 230 screened
Industri Jalan Johor Ayer Hitam cluster
Category: Workplace
State(s): Johor
District(s): Batu Pahat
Total infected: 15 out of 656 screened
Dah Tapak Bina Patani cluster
Category: Workplace
State(s): Kedah
District(s): Kuala Muda
Total infected: 54 out of 226 screened
Dah Empat Industri Sungai Petani cluster
Category: Workplace
State(s): Kedah
District(s): Kuala Muda
Total infected: 51 out of 117 screened
Industri Persiaran Pengkalan 32 cluster
Category: Workplace
State(s): Perak
District(s): Kinta
Total infected: 35 out of 120 screened
Semambu Empat cluster
Category: Workplace
State(s): Pahang
District(s): Kuantan
Total infected: 29 out of 55 screened
Ladang Jalan Bahau Rompin cluster
Category: Workplace
State(s): Negeri Sembilan
District(s): Jempol
Total infected: 75 out of 336 screened
Jalan PBR 12 cluster
Category: Workplace
State(s): Malacca
District(s): Melaka Tengah
Total infected: 25 out of 90 screened
Jalan Kubang Golok Merabang cluster
Category: Community
State(s): Kelantan
District(s): Bachok
Total infected: 20 out of 36 screened
Kampung Gong Manak cluster
Category: Community
State(s): Kelantan
District(s): Pasir Puteh
Total infected: 15 out of 18 screened
Jalan Kubang Kacang cluster
Category: Community
State(s): Kelantan
District(s): Kota Bharu
Total infected: 14 out of 23 screened
Kampung Kedap cluster
Category: Community
State(s): Kelantan
District(s): Pasir Mas, Machang and Kota Bharu
Total infected: 14 out of 26 screened
Kampung Kuala Besar cluster
Category: Community
State(s): Kelantan
District(s): Kota Bharu
Total infected: 9 out of 17 screened
Lorong Pasir Lada cluster
Category: Community
State(s): Kelantan
District(s): Kota Bharu
Total infected: 9 out of 15 screened
Lorong Madrasah cluster
Category: Community
State(s): Kelantan
District(s): Pasir Mas
Total infected: 9 out of 13 screened
Lorong Penggawa Yahya cluster
Category: Community
State(s): Kelantan
District(s): Pasir Mas
Total infected: 5 out of 6 screened
Jalan Sutera Bakar Batu cluster
Category: Community
State(s): Johor
District(s): Johor Bahru
Total infected: 116 out of 193 screened
Sungai Tekam Jerantut cluster
Category: Community
State(s): Pahang
District(s): Jerantut
Total infected: 27 out of 82 screened
Lemujan cluster
Category: Community
State(s): Sarawak
District(s): Pakan
Total infected: 38 out of 42 screened
Jalan Chemor Estate cluster
Category: High-risk group
State(s): Perak
District(s): Kinta
Total infected: 75 out of 97 screened
Kampung Ayer Papan cluster
Category: High-risk group
State(s): Perak
District(s): Kinta
Total infected: 13 out of 31 screened
Jalan SP 5/4 cluster
Category: Non-Education Ministry institution
State(s): Selangor
District(s): Kuala Langat
Total infected: 17 out of 118 screened
Jalan Scientex 20 cluster
Category: Institusi Pendidikan Swasta Berdaftar di Bawah KPM
State(s): Johor
District(s): Kulai
Total infected: 11 out of 48 screened
In the final week of February, Penang saw 922 new cases.
PENANG’S Covid-19 infectivity or R0 stood at 1.01 on the last day of February, compared with the national average R0 of 0.91, said Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow.
R0 – pronounced R-naught – is an indicator showing how contagious a disease is.
Chow said in the final week of February, between Feb 21 and 27, Penang saw 922 new cases.
Out of this, 574 cases (62.25%) were locals and 348 (37.74%) comprised foreigners.
“A total of 16,180 Covid-19 tests were done throughout that week by various health facilities under the supervision of state Health Department.
“The majority of screenings were focused on close contacts of positive patients, screening at workplaces in factories as well as construction sites, and symptomatic screenings.
“For the screening of foreigners either registered under Socso’s Prihatin Screening Programme or under employers’ initiatives in manufacturing and construction, the state Health Department reported that as of Feb 28,68,939 people had undergone screening and 2,435 positive cases were detected, ” he said in a statement after attending a National Security Council (NSC) virtual meeting on the management of Covid-19 chaired by Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin on Monday.
Chow added that the current approach was aspect-based public health as well as vaccinations.
“The Health Ministry as well as Energy, Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry are urged to continue to move in tandem with the Covid-19 Immunisation Task Force (CITF), which was specially established at the state level.
“In Penang, phase one of the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme has been running smoothly in every district.
“Our frontliners will always remain the priority as a commitment and principle held by the state government over the years.
“Let us all together make the vaccination programme a success, which is important to revive the growth of the economy in the state, ” he said.
Chow said in the NSC meeting, the technical committee was asked to examine the standard operating procedures of the tourism sector.
Factory clusters made up about 60% of newly-detected workplace infections in the past fortnight.
Manufacturers attribute this to more tests which resulted in a steady rise in workplace clusters as the screenings were able to pick up more cases among workers.
Covid-19 screenings for foreign workers that ended in February have been attributed to factories making up about 60% of new workplace clusters, says the Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers (FMM).
Its president Tan Sri Soh Thian Lai said one possible reason for the increase in workplace clusters was the rise in community transmission, especially after the start of the third wave of the virus last year.
“Covid-19 is already within the community with 89% of patients being asymptomatic or showing mild symptoms.
“This is despite the government’s efforts to mitigate the spread of the virus and industries implementing the necessary standard operating procedure and precautionary measures,” he said when citing a media report in December.
Soh added that it was then made mandatory for foreign workers to undergo Covid-19 screenings, effective last December.
“The mandatory screenings were conducted in phases until Feb 28.
“As a result, we have seen a steady rise in workplace clusters as the screenings were able to pick up more cases among workers, especially those who were asymptomatic,” he said.
Based on Health Ministry data from Feb 13 to 28, factories contributed to 92 out of 146 new workplace clusters (63%) that emerged in the last couple of weeks.
This is an increase from the period between Jan 28 and Feb 12, where 49% of new workplace clusters were located in factories.
Other notable workplace clusters from Feb 13 to Feb 28 were construction sites (12%), markets and restaurants (8%), public administrative centres (3%) and educational institutions (2%).
Even when including non-workplace clusters such as community clusters, factories still made up 52% of the clusters.
Among the factory clusters, about 47% were located in Johor, while Selangor and Penang made up 34% and 7% respectively.
Soh said FMM had reminded its members to implement proactive measures to prevent Covid-19 outbreaks at the workplace and at workers’ living quarters.
“Among the measures are paying greater attention to workers’ hostels and housing, ensuring compliance with strict SOP, including the requirement for physical distancing in the living environment and imposing such requirements on sub-contract workers.
“We limited the capacity of vehicles or buses ferrying workers to 50% or less to ensure physical distancing.
“We implemented measures such as working in rotations or relocating staff to minimise closure of entire sections. We also appointed a senior management member of the company to oversee SOP compliance at the workplace,” he said.
However, Soh said there had been difficulty in monitoring and controlling the activities of employees outside the workplace.
Complying with housing standards for workers also proved a challenge as there was acute shortage of accommodation space, he added.
“There is also a lack of centralised living quarters to house workers, and it has been challenging to get approvals from the local councils for the use and conversion of shoplots as accommodation,” he said.
Soh said there were also strong objections from resident associations and joint management bodies when trying to house workers in residential areas.
.
The government has just announced in a live conference that CMCO will end in Penang as scheduled, which is 6 December 2020. This is with an exception of two Mukim, which is Mukim 12 in Barat Daya and Mukim 13 in Timur Laut. CMCO will extend in these two Mukim until 20 December 2020.
Following the reduction of COVID-19 infection cases in several states, the government today decided to end the Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) in most states.
Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said the move was done after considering the current and expected impact on the economic recovery if CMCO is extended.
“The country is expected to suffer a GDP loss of RM300 million a day if CMCO is continued and this will result in a decline in the labour market and household spending, investment uncertainty, permanent job loss, business closure and other effects either directly or indirectly.
"Therefore, the government needs to consider all aspects in formulating any approach to create a balance between maintaining public health and impact on the economy," he told a press conference here today.
The CMCO in the following states would be lifted as scheduled tomorrow:
Penang except for Mukim 12 (southwest), Mukim 13 (northeast), while Flat Jalan Paya Terubong, Relau and Flat Desa Bistari, Batu Uban will be placed under enhanced MCO (EMCO) from Dec 7 to 20.
Perak except for Kinta district, Mukim Teja (Kampar district) and Mukim Changkat Jong (Hilir Perak district) where the CMCO will continue starting Dec 7 until 20, while the EMCO in Zone B and Zone C of Taman Meru 2C, Ipoh, Perak will end today.
Langkap Immigration Detention Depot and its quarters in Hilir Perak will be placed under EMCO from Dec 6 to 19.
Kelantan except for Kota Bharu, Machang, Tanah Merah and Pasir Mas where the CMCO will be extended from Dec 7 to 20, while Madrasah Ad-Diniah Al Falahiah, Kg Dalam Huma, Bukit Awang, Pasir Puteh will be placed under EMCO for the same period.
PutrajayaNegeri Sembilan except for Seremban and Port Dickson where the CMCO will be extended until Dec 20.
Meanwhile, the CMCO for Kuala Lumpur and Selangor will be extended until Dec 20 following the increase in COVID-19 cases, except for Sabak Bernam, Hulu Selangor and Kuala Selangor which will return to the Recovery MCO (RMCO).
At the same time, he said the CMCO in Kulim, Kedah which is supposed to end tomorrow will be extended until Dec 20 as there are 334 positive cases for its cluster.
In Johor, the CMCO in Mersing will be lifted tomorrow as scheduled, while the CMCO in Kota Tinggi will be extended until Dec 20 and three districts namely Johor Bahru, Batu Pahat and Kulai will be placed under CMCO from Dec 7 to 20. --- BERNAMA
Travel bans rescinded
Ismail Sabri: Police permission no longer needed for journeys
PETALING JAYA: The interstate and inter-district travel bans have been rescinded, regardless of whether an area is still under the conditional movement control order (MCO) or not, says Senior Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
He said the decision was made due to the need to balance public health and economic stability.
“Life must go on. So several restrictions have been relaxed after the National Security Council meeting where all parties, including the Health Ministry, discussed the issue.
“Among the matters agreed on is that interstate and inter-district travel across the country will now be allowed except for areas under an enhanced MCO.
“Police permission is no longer required,” he said.
He added that from tomorrow, the police would stop having roadblocks at state borders.
The focus will now be on adherence to the standard operating procedure (SOP), Ismail Sabri said.
“What’s important is that the public must follow the SOP. This is one of the ways to reduce Covid-19 infections.
“The police will be everywhere now to ensure compliance,” he said.
On tourism, Ismail Sabri said a meeting would be held with the Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry to identify what would be permitted to open and what should remain closed.
He also noted that travel to Sabah would now be allowed for social visits.
However, all entering Sabah must undergo the RT-PCR (reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction) or RTK Antigen (Rapid Test Kit Antigen) Covid-19 swabs three days before travelling.
“Only those without symptoms and who test negative for Covid-19 will be allowed into Sabah.
“Police permission to leave Sabah and
inter-district travel is no longer required,” he added.
Come visit us: Penang eager to see an increase in visitors to the island
this coming holiday season with the interstate and inter-district
travel ban being lifted.
Children being looked after at a nursery in Komtar. — Filepic
REGISTERED childcare centres and nurseries caring for the children of frontliners and working parents are allowed to operate during the conditional movement control order (MCO) period.
However, the childcare centres and nurseries need to adhere fully to the standard operating procedure.
Penang welfare committee chairman Phee Boon Poh said the requirements included ensuring that the centres were registered with the state Welfare Department.
“The centres need to obtain permission from the state Welfare Department director and submit verification letters from the employers of the parents or guardians confirming that the affected parent or guardian needs to work.
“They also need to adhere to the SOP for taska safety and the social care sector as directed by the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry,” he said in a statement on Thursday.
Phee added that unregistered childcare centres and nurseries looking to obtain permission to operate would not be considered.
“This is in line with the operating permission for childcare centres and nurseries during the conditional MCO period under the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988 (Act 342).
“Childcare centres under technical agencies including state authorities, the Fire and Rescue Department as well as the Health Department need to fulfill requirements under these agencies for licences to be issued.
“Then the centres can put forward their applications to the Welfare Department for registration.
“Under the district Welfare Department office, all completed and submitted applications will be processed within 48 hours.”
For more details or a list of the registered childcare centres, the public may visit www.jkm.gov.my
May 24, 2016 ... Chris Hong, who runs two kindergartens-cum-daycare centres in Subang Jaya,
said she and her staff looked after 40 to 50 children from 8am to ...
PETALING JAYA: The government has announced a month-long conditional movement control order (CMCO) in Kedah, Penang, Perak, Melaka, Johor and Terengganu from Monday due to the rising number of Covid-19 cases in the states.
The CMCO will end on Dec 6.
“It will be for all states in Peninsular Malaysia, except for Perlis, Pahang and Kelantan,” said Senior Minister for Security Ismail Sabri Yaakob at a press conference today.
“The implementation of the CMCO is to allow the health ministry to conduct targeted screenings and to decrease movement in the community, in addition to curbing the spread of Covid-19 in these states.”
The rules under the CMCO are as follows:
inter-state and inter-district travel is prohibited, except for emergency cases, in which case a travel permit by the police is required and all workers must either show their employee pass or a letter from their companies;
only two members of a household may leave the house to buy necessities;
all schools, higher education institutions, training institutes, kindergartens, childcare centres, public parks and recreational centres will be closed;
activities in the economic, industrial and trade sectors would be allowed to operate as usual;
all forms of public transport, such as buses, taxis and e-hailing services, with a maximum of two passengers, are allowed to operate from 6am to midnight;
daily markets are allowed to open from 6am to 2pm, while wholesale markets may operate from 4am to 2pm, and night markets from 4pm to 10pm;
petrol stations may operate from 6am to 10pm but those located along highways may operate 24 hours;
clinics and public hospitals will be allowed to open for 24 hours while pharmacies and medicine stores may operate from 8am to 11pm;
fishing, farming and the agriculture sectors may operate as usual; and;
all social gatherings, including weddings, and entertainment activities, are not allowed.
Ismail also said all religious activities in mosques will be decided by the state religious authorities, adding that further details may be found on the National Security Council’s (MKN) website.
Meanwhile, Ismail announced that the Maahad Al-Yahyawiah government-aided religious school in Padang Rengas, Kuala Kangsar, Perak, will be placed under the enhanced MCO from tomorrow until Nov 21.
He said the decision was made after 27 positive cases were detected in the area on Nov 5.
He added that the health ministry would continue conducting targeted screenings on a total of 123 students and 11 staff members at the school.
CLICK HERE FOR THE LATEST DATA ON THE COVID-19 SITUATION IN MALAYSIA
Govt introduces special assistance 'Kita Prihatin' package
The Perikatan Nasional government has introduced a special assistance initiative package known as 'Kita Prihatin'.
In
a special address on national television on Wednesday, Prime Minister
Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said the Prihatin economic stimulus package
involves RM295bil or 20% of the GDP.
ETALING JAYA: The government has introduced several new initiatives worth RM10bil to help people weather the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Kita Prihatin package is an additional stimulus to previous government initiatives such as the RM35bil Pelan Jana Semula Ekonomi Negara (Penjana) announced in June and the RM260bil Prihatin package in March.
Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said while the figures showed that there was economic recovery, new initiatives were needed as many were still facing difficulties.
He said the Wage Subsidy Programme 2.0 was targeted at firms seeing a drop in revenue of up to 30% compared to last year since the recovery movement control order (MCO).
A wage subsidy of RM600 monthly will be given to a maximum of 200 employees each for three months, with applications to be open from Oct 1 until Dec 31 this year.
The Prime Minister said he received feedback that many companies were not eligible for the scheme because they had not registered with the Social Security Organisation (Socso) before April 1.
He said to ensure they were not left behind, the second scheme would be open to companies that registered with Socso before Aug 31.
“For new applications that did not receive assistance under the Wage Subsidy Scheme programme, they will be eligible for subsidies for up to six months, ” he said yesterday in a special address to announce the initiatives.
He said the implementation of the programme was expected to benefit 1.3 million workers with an allocation of RM2.4bil.
Muhyiddin also announced a Special Prihatin Grant (GKP) to help micro businesses that were facing financial difficulties because of the pandemic.
He said it would be open to business owners registered with the Companies Commission of Malaysia or with local authorities before Aug 31, with payments to be made from Nov 25.
“The reopening of this initiative is expected to benefit over 200,000 micro businesses, with an allocation of almost RM600mil, ” he said.
Another RM7bil in cash aid under Bantuan Prihatin Nasional (BPN) 2.0 would be channelled to 10.6 million recipients, said Muhyiddin.
He said RM1,000 would be given to 3.7 million families in the B40 category, RM500 to 3.8 million single folk in the B40 group, RM600 to 1.4 million M40 families, and RM300 to 1.7 million singles in the M40 group.
The payments will be made in two batches – at the end of October this year and in January next year.
“There will be no need to apply for BPN 2.0. The government will channel aid directly
to the 10.6 million recipients who were approved previously.
“To those who are eligible but never received BPN, the government will give them a chance to appeal and submit new applications.
“I hope that with this additional assistance, you can breathe a sigh of relief in covering the daily expenses for you and your family, ” he said.
Muhyiddin also appealed to the public to reject the actions of several politicians whom he claimed wanted to undermine the political stability and the nation’s ongoing economic recovery plan.
He said the country needed a stable and strong government with the support of the public.
“This is important so that more initiatives to restore the economy and help the people can be implemented effectively by the government, ” he said.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) on Bantuan Prihatin Nasional (BPN) 2.0
Q What is BPN 2.0?
A It is an extra aid provided by the Government for the B40 and M40 to reduce their financial burden due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The issuance of BPN 2.0 is based on the BPN 2020 database comprising a list of 10.6 million previously approved recipients.
Q Who is eligible to receive BPN 2.0?
A BPN 2.0 recipients will be those who previously received the last payment of BPN 2020.
Q Do I need to apply for BPN 2.0?
A You do not need to apply for BPN 2.0 if you have previously received the last payment of BPN 2020.
Q Can I submit a new application if I have not been listed as a recipient of BPN 2.0?
A New applications for BPN 2.0 can be made starting Oct 15, 2020.
B. Payment of BPN 2.0
Q How much is the payout that will be given for BPN 2.0?
A The amount of payout will be as follows:
> B40 household earning less than RM4,000:
First phase=RM700; Second phase=RM300; Total=RM1,000 >
M40 household earning between RM4,001 and RM8,000:
First phase=RM400; Second phase=RM200; Total=RM600
> B40 singles earning less than RM2,000:
First phase=RM350; Second phase=RM150; Total=RM500
> M40 singles earning between RM2,001 and RM4,000:
First phase=RM200; Second phase=RM100; Total=RM300
Q When will BPN 2.0 payouts be made?
A First phase will be at the end of October 2020. Second phase will be in January 2021.
Q How will BPN 2.0 payouts be made?
A i. Those with active bank accounts - the payment will be credited into the account number listed in the BPN 2020 database.
ii. Those with inactive or closed bank accounts - claim the cash at a Bank Simpanan Nasional (BSN) branch.
iii. Those with no bank accounts - claim the cash at a BSN branch.
Q How will BSN 2.0 payouts be made for recipients in the interiors of Sabah and Sarawak?
Payments for recipients with no bank accounts living in the interiors of Sabah and Sarawak will start in January 2021.
Q Can I update my personal details such as my bank account that is no longer active?
A Updating bank account information is not allowed because the payment method for BPN 2.0 will be the same as the payment method of the previous BPN 2020 (refer to the answer for question 7).
Q If the payout was made to an inactive or incorrect bank account, what should I do?
A You can claim the cash at a BSN branch after the serial number has appeared. You can check your application status via the official BPN portal at https://bpn.hasil.gov.my
C. Status check
Q When and how can I check my application status for BPN 2.0?
A Recipients who are eligible to receive BPN 2.0 can check their status starting Oct 15 via the official portal at https://bpn. hasil.gov.my
Q What should I do if I forget my password to log into the portal and what if I fail to answer the security question?
A You need to wait for 10 minutes before attempting to answer the security question again. If you still fail to answer, you can contact the Hasil Care Line (HCL) at 03- 89111000 to reset your account and security question or contact the nearest IRB branch.
D. Other matters
Q Based on my status check, I was approved as a recipient in the M40 category for BPN 2020. Can I appeal to be a recipient in the B40 category for BPN 2.0?
A The BPN 2.0 qualification category is based on the final approval for BPN 2020.
Q I was a BPN 2020 recipient under the singles category but I am now married. Am I eligible to receive BPN 2.0 under the household category?
A You can submit a new application or appeal starting Oct 15, 2020 under the household category if you meet all the criteria.
Q I was married to a BPN 2020 recipient under the household category but I am now divorced. Am I eligible to receive BPN 2.0 under the single mother or father category?
A You can submit a new application/appeal starting Oct 15, 2020 under the single mother or father category if you meet all the criteria.
Q I am single and will turn 21 years old in 2021. If I am not yet 21 years old at the time that the application opens up, am I eligible to apply?
A Those born in 1999 or before are eligible to apply.
Q I received BPN 2020 previously and now wish to reject BPN 2.0. How can I return the cash aid?
A You can do the following: i. Submit a letter to the Finance Ministry stating your full name, MyKad number and reason for returning the cash aid.
ii. Come up with a bank draft or cheque addressed to the Accountant General of Malaysia according to the amount being returned.
iii. The letter and bank draft or cheque must then be submitted to the Finance Ministry at the following address:
Pejabat Belanjawan Negara, Kementerian Kewangan Malaysia, Presint 2, 62592 Putrajaya.
