‘Softer’ lockdown this time Police conducting checks to ensure adherence to the restriction on interstate travel. – BERNAMAPIX
PETALING JAYA: Despite the higher rate of infection, most stakeholders view the second movement control order (MCO 2.0) as less restrictive than the first.
The view across the board is that the first MCO was much stricter than the current one.
Under the first MCO, which was implemented from March 18 to June 9 last year, fewer business sectors were allowed to operate compared with MCO 2.0, which came into force on Jan 13.
According to SME Association of Malaysia president Datuk Seri Michael Kang, this has come as a relief for the business community.
KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 18): The Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers (FMM) has urged the government to expand the Temporary Measures for Reducing the Impact of Coronavirus Disease (Covid-19) Act 2020 to provide provision for relief for manufacturing and other manufacturing related services such as trading or distributorship and logistics, given the contraction in manufacturing activities.
FMM president Tan Sri Soh Thian Lai said the contraction in the manufacturing activities was due to the harsh impact from the Covid-19 pandemic and the recent reimposition of the Movement Control Order (MCO 2.0).
“The Act is currently limited to nine categories. It is very specific in providing temporary relief for contractual obligations faced during this pandemic period. We are proposing for a Disaster Management Act to be enacted, which will account for other disasters including devastating floods or possible future outbreaks and not specific to Covid-19 only,” he said in a statement today.
Associated Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Malaysia (ACCCIM) SMEs committee chairman Koong Lin Loong says “We did a survey and found that SMEs can’t survive more than four months with no cash flow. Generally, they can only do three months. Those that can survive six months and above are rare.
JUST when businesses thought 2020 was done and dusted, the resurgence in Covid-19 cases and the reimposition of stricter movement controls may have brought about a sense of deja vu.
Many had entered the year with optimism and were pinning their hopes on a great recovery in 2021 following the disruption to the economy last year.
Chua said ocean freight for certain destinations have spiked by 300% to more than 500%.
WHILE government policies and laws are key towards facilitating a healthy industry, the role of industry associations are also undeniably important in helping to ensure that regulatory measures support the growth of the industry as well.
For the Timber Exporter’s Association of Malaysia (TEAM), which was established in 1955 with approximately 680 members, it aims to distill the feedback of industry players into a single, concerted voice to liaise with the government on policy and regulatory issues related to timber.
According to its president Chua Song Fong, apart from furniture, most of the other sectors within the timber industry have seen a drop in business since the pandemic’s outbreak.
GEORGE TOWN: Most manufacturing plants in Penang are well prepared for the second the movement control order (MCO) which came into force yesterday, th.