Negeri Sembilan to join Labuan in Phase 4

Negeri Sembilan will join Labuan in Phase Four of the National Recovery Plan this week, while Pahang will transition from Phase Two to Three and Johor from Phase One to Two.

Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said the transitions will take effect on Sept 24.

In a statement, he said the transitions were allowed according to the guidelines laid out in the recovery plan, taking into account hospital admissions for symptomatic cases, ICU bed usage, and the percentage of fully vaccinated people.

“This decision was also in line with current risk assessments by the health ministry and National Security Council,” he said.

The latest transitions mean Kedah will be the only state still in Phase One of the recovery plan.

Johor will join Penang, Perak, Kelantan, Terengganu, Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya, Melaka and Sabah in Phase Two.

Pahang meanwhile will join Perlis and Sarawak in Phase Three.

Ismail also announced several other decisions made at today’s meeting of the Special Committee on Tackling Covid-19:

1. Sundry shops, mini markets, restaurants, petrol stations and convenience stores will be allowed to operate from 6am to midnight effective Sept 23;

2. Tourist spots and resort islands involving interstate travel will be allowed to operate provided that 90% of adults have been vaccinated;

3. Spas, wellness centres and health massage centres will be allowed to operate beginning Oct 1 for visitors and operators who have been fully vaccinated;

4. Tourism centres or premises such as zoos, plantations, aquariums, snorkelling/scuba diving centres, fishing tours and jungle parks will be allowed to operate under all phases of the recovery plan beginning Oct 1 for all fully vaccinated operators and visitors;

5. Businesses will be allowed to operate with 100% employee attendance provided that employers and workers are all fully vaccinated; and

6. Foreigners arriving at international ports of entry must bear the cost of RT-PCR tests which will be free for citizens.