Selangor MB emphasizes that only ‘truly essential’ economic services should be Allow to Operate

Despite Selangor being in the second week in the Enhanced Movement Control Order (EMCO), the number of Covid-19 cases had not reduce but had sky rocketed.

Responding to this matter, the Selangor Menteri Besar (MB), Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari suggested that only “truly essential” economic services should be allowed to operate in Selangor.

This comes after the Health Director General, Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah in a press conference yesterday (8 July) said that the Ministry of Health (MOH) had identified 29 new Covid-19 clusters, where 19 are workplace-related outbreaks.

According to The Star, Amirudin said that other economic activities in areas under the EMCO must remained closed until the order is lifted.

“The state government sees that the goal of the EMCO – which is to break the chain of infection and decrease the burden on the healthcare system has not been achieved yet.” he said.

“In view of this, the state government suggested to the National Security Council (NSC) that only economic sectors that are truly needed are open,” he added.

Meanwhile, he also suggested the vaccination of the workforce to be expedited and to include the number of vaccinations administered as a factor when determining the reopening of the economic sector.

Nonetheless, many may have notice that the number of Covid-19 cases in Selangor had sky rocketed during this period and it is mainly due to the increased screenings conducted in the EMCO areas, as well as close contact tracing.

While almost all of Selangor was placed under EMCO starting 3 July, the industries initially allowed to operate includes food, banking, utilities, healthcare, transportation and e-commerce.

However, the International Trade and Industry Ministry (MITI) had allowed other sectors such as electronics, electrical, aerospace, machinery as well as various food and beverage companies to operate under certain conditions a few days later.

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