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KUALA LUMPUR – Companies that want to stay open during the virus lockdown that starts tomorrow should be allowed to continue using the Covid-19 Intelligent Management System 3.0 (CIMS 3.0) to apply for approvals.
This will make the application and approval process much faster, especially since the International Trade and Industry Ministry (Miti) already has information on almost all the firms that operated during the first two rounds of the movement control order (MCO), said former deputy minister Ong Kian Ming.
“Rather than each ministry coming up with its own registration and processing system, I recommend that they continue to use the CIMS 3.0 system, including printing out approval letters using the letterheads of the respective ministries.
“Approval to continue operations will come from the ministries in charge of their respective sectors. Miti merely plays a facilitation role.
“It will also lessen the burden on civil servants in the other ministries, and do away with the need for each ministry to come up with their own registration system.”
Manufacturing and manufacturing-related services (MRS) approved by the government to continue operations during the lockdown from June 1 to 14 will need a Miti approval letter, which can be downloaded from CIMS 3.0.
The ministry, in a statement yesterday, said sectors other than manufacturing and MRS are required to refer to the National Security Council (NSC) or relevant ministries regulating them.
“The ministry is not mandated to provide approval for sectors apart from manufacturing and MRS.”
Ong suggested that NSC publish a list of sectors that can continue to operate, and the ministries responsible for them.
“For certain sectors, the ministry responsible is quite clear. For example, the transportation of goods and services comes under the Transport Ministry. For others, it may not be so clear-cut. For example, should optometrists get approval to operate from the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry or Health Ministry?
“Should hotels that are operating as quarantine centres ask for approval to operate from the Tourism Ministry, Health Ministry or Home Ministry? I am sure there are many other areas of jurisdictional uncertainty that I have not mentioned.”
All ministers should meet to evaluate possible gaps in the standard operating procedures that need to be addressed and updated immediately, before the lockdown takes effect, he said.
“For example, institutions of higher learning are not allowed to operate during the lockdown, except for online classes. But, the maintenance and security staff on each campus still need to work in order to protect and maintain these institutions’ assets.
“Perhaps, not all of these staff need to go to work. Perhaps, only 10% of the workforce is required (similar to the 10% of ‘warm idle’ staff for companies manufacturing steel, glass, ceramics and cement, and in the automotive sector).
“It is also not clear to me that non-quarantine hotels are allowed to operate during the total lockdown. Again, for these hotels, they still need a skeleton crew of staff to maintain and upkeep the hotel premises.”
He added that things need to be improved with regard to MCO-related announcements. – The Vibes, May 31, 2021