Updates to the MITI letter, approval from relevant Ministries or Agencies are now required

This were a mess when the Government first announced the Full Movement Control Order (FMCO). However, one thing was clear is that the the travel approval letters issued by the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) previously will expire on 31 May and businesses are required to resubmit their application through the CIMS 3.0 system again.

After the all the drama between the Ministries, Inspector-General of Police, Datuk Seri Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani now says that the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) will only accept travel approval letters from 6 ministries and certain agencies to allow employees to pass through roadblocks starting tomorrow (8 June).

Acryl Sani added that the letters are evidence that allows employees to travel to their workplace and anyone who fail to present the letter, or presented a fake letter will be subject to stern action under the Infectious Diseases Prevention and Control Act 1988 (Act 342).

According to The Star, the 6 ministries and agencies involved are as follow:

1. International Trade and Industry Ministry (MITI) for manufacturing and services sectors.
2. Transport Ministry for public and basic needs transportations.
3. Agriculture and Food Industries Ministry for agriculture, fisheries, livestock as well as farming and commodity sectors. The ministry will only issue confirmation letters for small-scale farmers. For those who have licences under the Companies Commission of Malaysia (SSM), confirmation letters will be issued by MITI through CIMS 3.0.
4. Plantation Industries and Commodities Ministry for sectors producing commodities such as rubber and oil palm. For permit and license holders of Malaysian Rubber Board (MRB) such as small-scale farmers, estates, nurseries and rubber traders, they can use approval letters from the ministry or MRB. For factories producing rubber-based products such as gloves, approval letters will be issued by MITI through CIMS 3.0.
5. Bank Negara Malaysia for the financial institutions and insurance sectors.
6. Securities Commission (SC) for stock shares trading sector.
7. Local authorities for small-scale traders/food stalls/ food trucks. For issuance of business licences for strata, waste and sanitisation management, letters will be issued by Miti through CIMS 3.0.
8. Communications and Multimedia Ministry for telecommunication, media, post, courier and broadcasting sectors.
9. For the Home Ministry, all letters issued by agencies under the ministry such as the Prisons Department, the National Registration Department and Immigration will be accepted.
10. Police will issue permits for movement for those who are permitted to travel interstate for death, emergencies and self-employment.

In addition, the travel approval letter must be dated 1 June 2021 and anybody who do not have valid documents or presented documents that have expired will be instructed to turn back.

” All confirmation letters issued by agencies under the Home Ministry such as the Malaysian Immigration Department (JIM), National Registration Department (JPN), Malaysian Volunteer Department (RELA) and others will be adopted for movement permission.” he added.

Meanwhile, self-employed individuals such as plumbers, maintainers, and roadside hawkers who do not have an employer, a one-off travel approval must be obtained from PDRM within the period from 1 June to 14 June.

As for those who require to go to work for purposes such as preparing documents, salary payment invoices, and so on, the PDRM will issue a one-off travel approval for a period of two to three day for employees in sectors that were not allowed to operate. However, they will need to provide their employer confirmation letter as evidence.

Let’s hope that this is the final version of the SOP, as things are getting confusing now.