KUALA LUMPUR, June 22 — The government has allowed cinemas, theatres, and live events to reopen only in enclosed spaces from July 1 with a maximum 250-person capacity.
Senior Defence Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said the 250-person capacity depended on the size of the space; if 1-metre social distancing in such areas permits fewer than 250 people in the space, then premise owners cannot allow a greater number of visitors.
“The SOP (standard operating procedure) is as per usual — temperature checks, wear face masks, use hand sanitiser, and place social distancing signs in the cinema,” Ismail Sabri told a press conference today.
He added that the government has also allowed leisurely swims to resume from July 1 at public, hotel, and private pools, on the condition the lifeguards are on duty to monitor the number of users at a time.
Ismail Sabri also said like the SOP for sports activities in swimming pools, leisurely swimmers must keep a 3-metre distance from each other, bathe before and after a swim, and immediately leave the pool after a swim.
“People have asked about children’s pools. Although we have no objections as a matter of principle, we still don’t encourage children to use swimming pools,” he said, adding that the government was leaving it to condominium management and parents to decide on children using swimming pools.
Ismail Sabri said the government has also decided to allow meetings, seminars, conferences, and courses to resume from July 1, with a maximum participation of 250 people at each event.
The approval also covers annual general meetings by registered societies, companies, cooperatives, and political parties.
The Recovery Movement Control Order (RMCO) has been implemented until August 31 amid the Covid-19 outbreak in Malaysia.
