KOTA KINABALU – All 181 Covid-19 standard operating procedures (SOPs) will be simplified to just 10 as the country heads into the endemic phase of the virus outbreak next month.
This was agreed to by the cabinet in principle, said Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein, adding that the new SOPs will take the the National Security Council (NSC) between two and three weeks to complete.
The changes will be aimed at striking a balance between reviving the economy, and the people’s well-being and health.
He said the new SOPs will be presented to the prime minister before being announced to the public. The Communications and Multimedia Ministry will also assist in promoting the new SOPs, he added.
“I hope it can be done, so we will await them within these two to three weeks. I think the public will easily understand them rather than all the 181 SOPs.
“We have discussed the matter but what’s more important is the risk in its relaxation and the risk faced by states that are currently in varying stages of the recovery phases.
“It is not easy to strike a balance. We want to have standardised SOPs, but we have to think out of the box; it might not be just about economic reasons, but it can also be about the people’s well-being,” Hishammuddin told a press conference after the senior ministers’ meeting on Covid-19 SOPs at the Dewan Rakyat today.
With him were Finance Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz, Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin and Communications and Multimedia Minister Tan Sri Annuar Musa. The meeting was chaired by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
On the reopening of Langkawi to visitors, Hishamuddin said that the people want Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri to view the SOPs seriously to avoid a surge in cases.
“We will monitor the situation and look into facilities like hospital beds, vaccination rates and also small unvaccinated groups.
“We will also look into details, such as where the tourists from and how they are getting to Langkawi.
“These is important for the Tourism Ministry to look into so that we can expand the reopening of the tourism sector further,” he said.
On his meeting with Nancy over the reopening of the country’s tourism destinations, Hishamuddin said much will depend on the success of Langkawi as its pilot programme.
“We will not reopen other major tourist destinations yet, so now, it is up to the ministry to prove to us that it can be done.” – The Vibes, September 14, 2021
