Tag Archives: Manufacturing

John Barnett Autopsy Confirms Suicide, Conspiracists Wrong!

Conspiracists were just proven wrong (again!) when the autopsy of John Barnett showed that the Boeing whistleblower did indeed commit suicide!

Claim : John Barnett Did Not Commit Suicide!

Right after news broke that John Barnett was found dead in his truck outside a Holiday Inn in Charleston, some people immediately suggested that the Boeing whistleblower might have been assassinated to prevent his testimony against the aerospace giant.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr : John Barnett worked for Boeing for 32 years. The company worked to destroy his life after he exposed safety concerns. I’m proud that my sister Rory worked to tell his story in her award winning documentary Downfall: The Case Against Boeing. Boeing killed 346 people out of greed. Let’s hope there is a genuine investigation of John Barnett’s “suicide.”

Megatron : ⚡ 🇺🇲 Video emerges of dead Boeing whistleblower John Barnett discussing Boeing’s inadequate safety measures for airplanes.

This is one of the reasons why they decided to “Suicide” him.

Champagne Joshi : Boeing whistleblower John Barnett predicted he might end up dead and that a story could surface that he killed himself according to a close family friend.

“I know that he did not commit suicide,” said Jennifer, a friend of Barnett’s. “There’s no way.”

Owen Gregorian : ‘If anything happens, it’s not suicide’: Boeing whistleblower’s prediction before death

A close family friend of John Barnett said he predicted he might wind up dead and that a story could surface that he killed himself.

But at the time, he told her not to believe it.

“I know that he did not commit suicide,” said Jennifer, a friend of Barnett’s. “There’s no way.”

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Truth : John Barnett Was Alone When He Committed Suicide!

Here is what you need to know about John Barnett’s unfortunate death, and why he committed suicide, and was not assassinated…

Fact #1 : John Barnett Committed Suicide

On Friday, 17 May 2024, both the Charleston Police Department and the Charleston County Coroner’s Office separately concluded their extensive investigations, and both issued reports that concluded that John Barnett committed suicide.

John Barnett had been in Charleston, South Carolina, to give his testimony against his former employer – the embattled aerospace giant, Boeing, when he was found dead from a gunshot wound in his truck, in the parking lot of his hotel, a Holiday Inn. He was 62 years old when he died.

The reports released by the police and the coroner, included nearly 100 pages of incident reports, a 911 recording from the hotel worker who found Barnett, and a photo of the note that Barnett left behind. Ultimately, it has been confirmed that John Barnett committed suicide, and he was alone in his truck:

investigators found him alone and locked inside his truck, with the key fob in his pants pocket,
there was no sign of forced entry, or a physical struggle,
his phone and hotel key card showed no suspicious activity,
his truck was undisturbed until the discovery of his body the next morning,
the ballistics report showed that the bullet was “fired by the firearm located in the victim’s hand”, and
the silver Smith and Wesson handgun was registered to Barnett, and legally purchased in 2000,

The report from Charleston County Coroner Bobbi Jo O’Neal read, “All findings were consistent with a self-inflicted gunshot wound“, and concluded that the manner of death is best deemed “suicide“.

Fact #2 : John Barnett Left A Suicide Note

The police investigation also revealed that a notebook with Barnett’s fingerprints were found next to him, together with “what amounts to a suicide note”, and that only his fingerprints were found on the suicide note.

Comprehensive fingerprint analysis confirmed Mr. Barnett’s fingerprints on the notebook. Three prints were inconclusive due to insufficient detail for identification. All fingerprints on the page containing the note were identified as Mr. Barnett’s.

The police also shared a photo of the handwritten suicide note, with a jumble of thoughts written in three different orientations:

I can’t do this any longer!!! Enough!! Boeing!!! Family & friends I love you all

And I wasn’t stoned when I wrote this… really!

Trump 2024

American come together or die!! I pray the motherfucker that destroyed my life pay!!! I pray Boeing pays!!!

Bury me face down so Boeing and their lying ass leaders can kiss my ass

To my family and friends, I found my purpose! I’m at peace! I love you more

P.S. The entire system for whistleblowers protection is fucked up too!!

Fact #3 : John Barnett Was Alone When He Committed Suicide

Conspiracists have been claiming or suggesting that John Barnett was somehow assassinated to prevent his testimony against Boeing, never mind the fact that his testimony is already on the record.

Fortunately, investigators were able to recover surveillance footage which showed that John Barnett was alone when he committed suicide:

On March 8, Barnett entered the Holiday Inn alone at 7:26 PM, and went to his room at 7:36 PM, and left the building by himself at 8:37 PM.
His Dodge Ram was seen backing into a parking lot at 8:45 PM, and remained stationary throughout the night, and into the morning of March 9.
No one else entered or exited the truck, and no one approached the truck, in the surveillance footage.
The truck’s brake lights blinked on and off at around 7:20 AM on March 9. A Holiday Inn worker told police officers he heard a “pop” sound that morning, but didn’t think anything of it.

Mr. Barnett’s vehicle was captured on video reversing into a parking space at 8:45 p.m., where it remained stationary until it was discovered by officers the following morning. Throughout the night, there was no video evidence of anyone interacting with the vehicle, entering it, or the vehicle leaving its parking spot.

John Barnett’s attorneys called him at around 9 AM. When he didn’t answer, they called the hotel and asked for a welfare check. Hotel employees searched the hotel and parking lot, which was when they found Barnett dead in his truck, which was locked.

Thanks to the surveillance footage, the investigators can conclusively prove that John Barnett committed suicide, and was not “assassinated” by Boeing, or the Deep State, the New World Order, the Illuminati, or the bogeyman of the day.

Fact #4 : John Barnett Had Mental Health Challenges

The Charleston County Coroner’s Office looked at John Barnett’s medical records, and interviewed his family members, attorneys, and people connected to him.

Its report described how John Bartnett was under chronic stress because of the whistleblower case, and that he was suffering from anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder, while grieving the 2022 death of his wife.

Regardless of what he may have told his family and friends earlier, the preponderance of evidence show that John Barnett took his own life.

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Was Human Meat Found In McDonald’s Factories?!

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Did US meat inspectors find human meat in several McDonald’s factories across the United States?!

Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!

Claim : Human Meat Found In McDonald’s Factories!

People are sharing a video which purportedly shows meat inspectors discovering human meat in McDonald’s factories across the United States. Here is a transcript of the video :

Oklahoma City – first, horse meat, then the mysterious “pink slime”. Now, human meat?

A shocking discovery has been made in an Oklahoma City McDonald’s meat factory and other McDonald’s meat factories nationwide.

Meat inspectors reportedly found, what appeared to be, human meat stored in the meat factory freezers of an Oklahoma City meat factory, and human meat already in trucks right outside the factory ready to be shipped to McDonald’s restaurants.

Health inspectors immediately demanded inspection in various McDonald’s meat factories across the country, and horrifyingly found human meat in about 90% of the factories inspected thus far.

The USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) has seized McDonald’s production and shipping, and will call for more meat factory inspections, and restaurant inspections.

The FBI is also investigating the factories. FBI agent Lloyd Harrison told Huzler reporters “The worst part is that it’s not only human meat, it’s child meat. The body parts that were found across the US factories were deemed too small to be adult body parts.”

The situation brings up many unanswered questions. How long have they been using human meat? Where did they get the children from? Were they already dead when brought into factories?

Investigators and inspectors are currently being deployed for intensive investigations all around the US. Here is another clip, when earlier McDonalds was caught!

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Did US meat inspectors find human meat in several McDonald's factories across the US?! 😱😱

Here is my FACT CHECK : https://t.co/wlnVyzitQm #TechARP #McDonalds #Food #FoodSafety #Meat #Human #Crime #FBI #Children #Facts #FactsMatter #FactCheck #Fake #FakeNews #Viral #TikTok pic.twitter.com/dMxq6RQCYk

— Dr. Adrian Wong (@AdrianTechARP) May 4, 2023

Truth : No Human Meat Was Ever Found In McDonald’s Factories!

This is another example of FAKE NEWS circulating on social media and WhatsApp groups, and here are the reasons why….

Fact #1 : No Human Meat Was Ever Found In McDonald’s Factories

Let me be very clear – no human meat was ever found in McDonald’s factories or restaurants.

If this actually happened, it would have been worldwide news, and McDonald’s would have been shut down for good. Many McDonald’s executives and their suppliers would also face criminal charges.

Yet, there has been ZERO mention of this on any legitimate news website. There is also no mention of such an incredible find in any USDA or FBI press releases.

Needless to say, McDonald’s factories and restaurants continue to operate normally. That’s because this never happened. No human meat was ever found in McDonald’s factories or restaurants.

Fact #2 : Human Meat Patty Picture Was From Resident Evil 6 Promo!

The pictures of “human meat” used in the fake video was misappropriated from a Resident Evil 6 promo in London.

Back in September 2012, Capcom created a pop-up butchery called Wesker & Son (Wholesale Meats) in Smithfield Meat Market.

Once at the butchery, members of the public will be invited to sample and purchase a dizzying array of edible human limbs including hands, feet and a human head, which will be available to buy directly from the shop.

As well as these specially created products, gamers will be able to buy ‘Peppered Human & Lemon Sausages’ and ‘J’avo Caught Human Thigh Steaks’ along with some specially made pots of Red Herb and Green Herb.

All proceeds from the sale of the meat will be donated to the Limbless Association, which provides information and support to the limb-loss community.

Fact #3 : Story Was Created By A Fake News Website

This fake story created by a content aggregation (copy and paste) website called Huzlers, that also creates fake stories to go viral. This particular Huzlers article was written by Pablo Reyes Jr, and published on April 7, 2014 – more than 9 years ago!

To give their fake story a “veneer of satire”, they added a tagline below the writer’s name – “Believe half of what you see and nothing you read online“.

The truth is – they intentionally created the fake story to trigger you into sharing their article, so they can go viral and make money from the increased page views.

Fact #4 : McDonald’s Sells Billions Of Burgers Every Year

Let me just point out that McDonald’s sells over a billion pounds of meat every year, just in the United States. That means their suppliers have to slaughter thousands of cows every day to keep up with the demand.

Children are much smaller than cows. Those suppliers would need to slaughter tens of thousands of children a day to replace the cows. Does that really make sense to you?

The American continent would run out of children to slaughter within a year! And how does killing children for burgers make economic sense, never mind common sense?

Fact #5 : Pink Slime No Longer Used In McDonald’s Food

The fake story and video used a picture of pink slime, claiming that it was also used in McDonald’s foods.

That’s also false, because by the time the fake story was written (in 2014), McDonald’s stopped using “pink slime”, which is really Lean Finely Textured Beef (LFTB).

Q : Have you ever used so-called ‘pink slime’ in your burgers?

A : Yes, we used Lean Finely Textured Beef between 2004 and 2011. We do not use this today.

Despite its gross sounding name and look, LFTB is simply beef that has been separated from the fat in beef trimmings. LFTB technology recovers meat that would otherwise be wasted and thrown away.

Think of LFTB as low-fat beef paste. Regular ground beef consists of about 30% fat, while LFTB only has about 5% fat.

Fact #6 : Pink Slime Picture Not From McDonald’s Factory

The picture used in the fake story and video isn’t from a McDonald’s factory. However, it should be pointed out that LFTB looks like that – pink-coloured paste.

The pink colour comes from the ammonia hydroxide – an antimicrobial agent used to treat LFTB and prevent bacterial growth.

Fact #7 : Ammonia In LFTB Isn’t Toxic

Even though McDonald’s no longer uses “pink slime” in their burgers, I should point out that the amount of ammonia used in LFTB isn’t dangerous.

The amount of ammonia present in Lean Finely Textured Beef (LFTB) is actually comparable to ammonia levels present in existing foods :

Food	Ammonia Level
American Cheese	813 ppm
Unblended LFTB	400-500 ppm
Ketchup	411 ppm
Onions	342 ppm
Blended Beef Patty with 15% LFTB	200 ppm
Ground Beef	101 ppm

Everything published by Huzlers should be regarded as FAKE NEWS, until proven otherwise.

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He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

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Apple To Move MORE iPhone Production Out Of China!

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Apple has accelerated its plans to leave Zhengzhou in China, where the massive iPhone City manufacturing zone is located!

Apple To Move MORE iPhone Production Out Of China!

As anti-government protests continue across China, Apple is accelerating its plans to leave Zhengzhou – where the massive iPhone City manufacturing zone is located!

Apple CEO Tim Cook is now eyeing Vietnam and India as new manufacturing hubs to replace Zhengzhou, where Foxconn workers earlier fled amidst repeated protests.

According to the Wall Street Journal, Apple now plans to move to 45% of iPhone production to factories in India, and ramp up production of its MacBooks, Apple Watches and AirPods in Vietnam.

Those moves come with serious challenges as Apple faces having to deal with different regional government bureaucracies in India.

Meanwhile, Vietnam only has 10% of China’s population, and can only handle a 60,000 person factory – far smaller than the 300,000 person “iPhone City” in Zhengzhou.

So Apple is still considering switching to other suppliers in China – Luxshare Precision Industry Co. and Wingtech Technology Co., although these alternate plans may be jeopardised by the Chinese government’s persistence with its Zero COVID policy.

Apple Earlier Planned To Move iPhone Production Out Of China!

While Apple had been planning the move for months due to the Chinese government’s insistence on Zero COVID policy, the recent uprisings at its Zhengzhou manufacturing hub has accelerated those plans.

In November, iPhone City in Zhengzhou erupted in violent protests by Foxconn employees over strict Zero COVID policies and pay disputes, prompting a lockdown.

This forced Foxconn to offer $1,400 to quit their jobs, and later, a $1,800 bonus to stay. Even so, manufacturing at Zhengzhou is down to about 20% of its capacity.

Foxconn has tried to shift some of its production to its Shenzhen factory, but it cannot make up the shortfall, which is reported to be as much as 6 million iPhone Pro smartphones.

Things got so bad the Chinese government even called on military veterans and CCP members to work at the iPhone City factories as volunteers!

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He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

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China Lifts Some COVID-19 Restrictions Over Protests!

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China abruptly lifted COVID-19 restrictions in several Chinese cities, after large protests erupted in at least seventeen cities.

China Lifts Some COVID-19 Restrictions Over Protests

The CCP government of China has been cracking down on protests that have spread to at least seventeen cities, but its resolve appear to have cracked a little.

The authorities in the major cities of Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chongqing and Zhengzhou abruptly lifted COVID-19 lockdown measures and restrictions.

On Wednesday afternoon, 30 November 2022, Chinese authorities announced the lifting of lockdowns in four districts in Guangzhou, and instructed local officials to remove “temporary control orders” and to predesignate those areas as “low risk”. They also announced an end to mass PCR testing for COVID-19.

Both Guangzhou and Chongqing also announced that close contacts of COVID-19 positive people will be allowed to quarantine at home instead of being forcibly taken to a quarantine centre, subject to certain conditions.

Shanghai – China’s largest and most affluent city, announced that the lockdown of 24 high-risk areas across 11 of its districts would be lifted on Thursday, 1 December 2022.

The city of Zhengzhou – the location of the massive iPhone factory and earlier protests, announced the “orderly” resumption of business, including markets, supermark1ets, restaurants and cinemas. While lifting COVID-19 restrictions in general, they published a list of buildings that would remain under lockdown.

China Could Quietly Kill Zero COVID Policy Over Protests

China could be preparing to quietly “kill” its Zero COVID policy that had been the hallmark “achievement” of President Xi Jinping.

On Wednesday, 30 November 2022, Vice-Premier Sun Chunlan – China’s most senior official in charge of its COVID-19 response, told health officials that the country faced “a new stage and mission” in pandemic control.

She noticeably did not mention the Zero COVID policy, but said that the National Health Commission (NHC) should take a “human-centred approach”, in an apparent nod to the anti-government protests that have wracked multiple Chinese cities.

Sun also called for China to enhance its “diagnosis, testing, treatment and quarantine” measures, while boosting vaccination rates especially for its senior citizens, and beef up medication and medical resources.

This appears to suggest that the Chinese authorities are at least thinking of further loosening its strict Zero COVID measures, if not killing it completely.

Her comments come a day after top Chinese health officials pledged to change COVID-19 control measures to reduce their impact on people’s lives.

Chinese National Health Commission (NHC) officials said that lockdowns to suppress the spread of COVID-19 should be lifted “as quickly as possible” during outbreaks.

Cheng Youquan – a director at the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, said that some control measures were implemented “excessively” by local officials taking a “one size fits all” approach, without regard for people’s demands.

NHC officials also announced an “action plan’ to boost vaccination rates amongst the elderly, which would be necessary if China is to reopen the country.

As of November 28, about 90% of Chinese population received two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine, but only 66% of people over 80 have done so. A very high vaccination rate is critical, because Chinese vaccines have much lower efficacy than Western vaccines.

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He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

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iPhone Factory Under Lockdown, As Employees Flee!

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The massive iPhone factory in Zhengzhou is now under another COVID-19 lockdown, after thousands of employees fled!

iPhone Factory Now Under COVID-19 Lockdown!

On Wednesday, 2 November 2022, China placed the Zhengzhou Airport Economy Zone under a new COVID-19 lockdown. This is where Foxconn has its largest iPhone factory, employing about 200,000 workers

The Zhengzhou industrial zone, located in the Henan province, was placed under “silent management” measures with immediate effect, and last for one week – until November 9, 2022.

all residents are barred from going out
only approved vehicles are allowed on the road

Foxconn said in a statement that its campus will continue operating under a “closed loop” management system, in which employees sleep, live and work in a bubble, isolated from the rest of Zhengzhou and the world.

A source with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters that such a lockdown could cut production of Apple iPhones by as much as 30%, and that Foxconn was working to boost production at their Shenzhen factory to make up for the shortfall.

Employees Have Been Fleeing iPhone Factory For Days!

For several days now, Foxconn employees have been fleeing the Zhengzhou factory, after some workers were placed under quarantine following a COVID-19 outbreak.

The Foxconn employees also complained of poor food quality, and a lack of medical care for those who tested positive.

On Sunday, 30 October, Foxconn said that it would not stop them from leaving, and many workers chose to walk back to their hometowns.

Videos of those employees climbing over fences, and walking away from the factory went viral. So did photos and videos of those Foxconn workers trekking across fields in the day, and long roads at night.

Some people were walking amid wheat fields with their luggage, blankets and quilt. I couldn’t help but feel sad.

Those videos galvanised volunteers from nearby villages to put out food and drinks for the workers. Foxconn and several local governments finally arranged transportation for them.

Workers who were transported back to their hometowns were quarantined on arrival. A belated measure that should have been initiated earlier.

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He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

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How Biren Got Its Own AI Chips Banned At TSMC!

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TSMC stopped making artificial intelligence chips for China’s Biren Technology, and it was all Biren’s own fault!

TSMC Stops Making Biren AI Chips Over US Sanctions

TSMC – Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company – has suspended production of advanced artificial intelligence (AI) chips for China’s Biren Technology.

TSMC was forced to make this decision after public domain information revealed that the Biren BR100 and BR104 chips outperformed the NVIDIA A100 chip, which was used as the baseline of US sanctions.

While TSMC has not reached a conclusion on whether the top-of-the-line Biren BR100 or the slower BR104 meet or exceed US government threshold on advanced AI chip technology restrictions, it decided to stop production and supply of the Biren chips for now.

For TSMC to continue producing BR100 or BR104 chips, Biren must now prove that their chips do not offer “peak performance and chip-to-chip I/O performance equal to or greater than thresholds that are roughly equivalent to the [NVIDIA] A100“, or get an export licence from the US Department of Commerce.

And believe it or not – it was Biren Technology that created this mess for itself!

How Biren Screwed Up Its Own BR100 AI Chips

Biren, which is one of China’s most promising semiconductor design firms, earlier claimed that its AI chips that were being produced by TSMC are not covered by the latest US export restrictions.

However, its own website touts that the BR100 family of chips offers “world-class performance“, and has “improved by more than 3X” compared to mainstream rivals.

On top of that, Biren actually released a press statement on September 9, 2022, declaring that the slower BR104 was proven by the MLPerf to beat the NVIDIA A100!

Releasing such a statement less than 2 weeks after the US government ordered both AMD and NVIDIA to stop exporting their MI250 and A100 and faster AI chips to China is either amazing chutzpah, or a combination of hubris and idiocy.

Either way, the US government took notice, and TSMC came under pressure to comply with American export restrictions. Awesome PR, but stupid move, Biren…

Take a look at the benchmark results that Biren itself released into public domain, showing that the slower BR104 chip was between 27% and 58% faster than the NVIDIA A100.

With such results, the BR104 would certainly fall under the latest US tech export restrictions. No wonder TSMC quickly stopped making and supplying Biren BR100 series chips.

As powerful as the BR100 and BR104 GPGPU chips may be, they are now dead in the water as TSMC will not manufacture them anymore, and Biren Technology has no plausible alternatives for 7nm fabrication.

Biren BR100 AI Chips That TSMC Stopped Producing

The Biren BR100 and slower BR104 are General Purpose GPU (GPGPU) chips, which are targeted at artificial intelligence applications.

They are both fabricated on the TSMC 7nm process technology, and use chipset and 2.5D Chip-on-Wafer-on-Substrate (CoWoS) packaging technologies to achieve high yield, and high performance.

The Biren BR100 family of GPGPU chips supports up to eight independent virtual instances (SVI) – each physically isolated with their own hardware resources, for improved security.

Their chips are designed with a proprietary Blink high-speed GPU interconnect bus offering bandwidth of up to 448 GB/s, with the ability to connect up to 8 cards in a single node, using state-of-the-art PCI Express 5.0.

Biren Technology offers two BR100-based products – the Bili 100P OCP Accelerator Module (OAM), and the Bill 104P PCI Express accelerator card.

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Indonesia Bans Sale Of Cough Syrups + Liquid Meds!

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Indonesia has stopped the sale of all medical and cough syrups, and liquid medication after 99 children died, amidst an unexplained spike in acute kidney injuries.

Indonesia Bans Sale Of Cough Syrups + Liquid Meds!

On Thursday, October 20, 2022, Indonesia banned the sale of all syrup and liquid medication, including cough syrups.

This decision follows the deaths of 99 children, and 206 cases of acute kidney injuries in children, mostly under 6 years of age.

As a precaution, the ministry has asked health workers in health facilities not to prescribe liquid medicine or syrup temporarily.

We also ask that drug stores temporarily stop all sales of non-prescription liquid medicine or syrup until our investigations are completed.

– Indonesia Health Ministry spokesperson Mohammad Syahril

Indonesia Ban Of Cough Syrups + Liquid Meds : What’s Going On?!

Just a week ago, the World Health Organization (WHO) linked four cough syrups made in India to the deaths of more than 60 children who suffered acute kidney failure in The Gambia, West Africa.

WHO suspected that the four cough syrups made by Maiden Pharmaceuticals Limited of India, contained “unacceptable amounts” of diethylene glycol and ethylene glycol, which can damage the brain, lungs, liver and kidneys.

India’s Central Drugs Standard Control Organizatio immediately shut down Maiden Pharmaceuticals’ factory in New Delhi where these cough syrups were made.

In view of the seriousness of the contraventions observed during the investigation and its potential risk to the quality, safety and efficacy of the drugs being produced, all the manufacturing activities of the firm (are) being stopped with immediate effect.

The cough syrups that killed so many children in The Gambia though were not sold in Indonesia, according to the Indonesian food and drugs agency.

However, Indonesian Health Ministry Budi Gunadi Sadikin said today (Thursday, October 20) that the same toxic substances – diethylene glycol and ethylene glycol – were detected in syrups found in the homes of some of the affected children.

He added that the number of acute kidney failure cases could be higher than reported, so his health ministry was taking the conservative approach by banning the sale of all medical syrups and liquid medication.

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He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

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US To Block New Advanced Chip Fabs In China!

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The US aims to block the construction of new advanced chip fabs in China and countries of concern like Russia.

Here is what you need to know…

US To Fund Building Of Advanced Chip Fabs!

The US Congress just passed the historic CHIPS and Science Act (HR 4346) – a massive $280 billion bill designed to bolster innovation and tech hubs in the United States.

The legislation passed with a Senate vote of 64-33, and a House vote of 243-187, approving :

$76 billion of funding to revive and boost chip production in the United States
$81 billion for the National Science Foundation over 5 years, for research, equipment and STEM education
Almost $10 billion for the National Institute of Standards and Technology

TSMC, Intel and Samsung are expected to benefit from the billions of dollars of funding, which would subsidise their construction of new advanced chip fabs in the United States.

US To Block New Advanced Chip Fabs In China!

There is however a big caveat in the legislation that the White House is expected to sign – any company that receives funding will be barred from building new advanced chip fabs in China and other countries of concern, like Russia.

The CHIPS and Sciences Act specifically bars companies that receive federal funding from “materially expanding” production of chips more advanced than 28 nanometres (28 nm) in countries of concern like China and Russia, for 10 years.

28 nm chips are not state-of-art, with production first starting more than 10 years ago – in 2011. However, they are still used in many applications, and China is free to keep producing these chips.

This move though will essentially limit development of advanced chips in China, by blocking foreign chipmakers from investing in more advanced fabs.

Intel had earlier lobbied hard against this move. In late 2021, Intel wanted to expand production in China but was pressured to sell its Dalian wafer plant to South Korea’s SK Hynix. Intel now only has chip packaging and testing facilities in China.

But that changed, and now Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger is a big proponent of the bill, even suggesting that it might forego building its Ohio mega fab and shift it to Europe if the legislation did not pass.

Currently, the only semiconductor companies investing in fabs in China are Samsung and TSMC. So if they choose to accept US funding, both companies will have to stop building fabs that can produce chips that are more advanced than 28 nm.

Of the potential recipients of US funding, TSMC is the only company making relatively advanced chips in China. Its Nanjing fabs currently make 28 nm and more advanced 16 nm chips.

Unless TSMC spurns US funding, it won’t be able to invest in more advanced fabs in China. This will force China to rely on its own SMIC to develop more advanced chipmaking technologies.

While SMIC has had some success with a 7nm process using older DUV technology, it came at the expense of yield and chip complexity.

Unless China is somehow able to develop its own EUV technology, it’s pretty much end game for more advanced chip production in China… for ten years.

US Quietly Expands Chip Equipment Ban To Fabs In China

In addition to the looming CHIPS Act, the US government also expanded its ban on the sale of machines for fabricating advanced chips.

The US government had earlier banned the sale of tools that allow China to manufacture chips at 10 nm or smaller. That ban was just extended to include tools that would allow the manufacture of chips 14 nm or smaller.

American equipment makers like LAM Research and KLA Corp. have received letters about this expanded ban, which appears to be limited to logic chips (like computer processors), but not memory chips.

According to the US Commerce Department, the move was meant to impair China’s ability to manufacture advanced chips :

The Biden Administration is focused on impairing PRC efforts to manufacture advanced semiconductors to address significant national security risks to the United States.

However, this move appears to be merely officiating what is already being practiced – the US Commerce Department had already declined many licences to sell 14nm fab equipment.

The Biden Administration is also pushing the Netherlands and Japan to ban ASML Holdings NV and Nikon Corp from selling advanced chip making equipment to China.

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China Bans Taiwan Food Over Pelosi, But Not Chips!

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China just banned food imports over 100 Taiwanese companies right before US Speaker Nancy Pelosi landed in Taiwan, but unsurprisingly not microchips!

Here is what you need to know…

China Bans Taiwan Food Products Over Pelosi!

While US Speaker Nancy Pelosi was flying to Taiwan from Malaysia, the General Administration of Customs for China announced an import ban on food products from over 100 Taiwanese companies.

Of those 100 Taiwanese companies, 35 are exporters of biscuits and pastries, including famous Taiwanese companies like Kuo Yuan Ye Corp (郭元益), Yu Jan Shin (裕珍馨), Kuai Kuai Co (乖乖), Imei Foods Co (義美食品), Chiate Bakery (佳德) and Kuang Ta Hsiang Foodstuffs Co (廣達香).

The other companies exported food products like tea, honey and seafood. Of the 3,200 Taiwanese food products registered for export to China, 2,066 (64.6%) had their imports suspended.

Officially, Beijing says that the blacklisted companies failed to renew their export registration, and can only sell their products until the end of August 2022.

However, the late night announcement, and the fact that only Taiwanese exporters are required to file their registration documents by June 2022, instead of June 2023 like exporters from other countries; strongly suggest that this move was motivated by Pelosi’s visit.

China May Ban Taiwan Food Over Pelosi, But Not Chips!

Despite the dramatic late night announcement, this move was relatively benign as the banned exports only make up 0.1% or US$650 million of Taiwan’s total exports.

Last year, Taiwan exported US$44 million worth of pastries to China, but that fell to only US$10 million during the first half of 2022.

Seafood exports to China were more substantial at US$280 million, but tea exports were just under US$32 million, and honey exports was a minuscule US$35,000.

On the other hand, China does not dare to ban the import of Taiwanese microchips or electronics, because it has grown reliant on them.

After the US imposed sanctions on Chinese chipmakers in 2018, China increased imports of Taiwanese memory chips by a whopping 57% in just 3 years!

In fact, Taiwanese exports to China surged by 24.8% to an all-time high of US$188.9 billion in 2021, largely due to high demand for their computer chips.

No matter what their Wolf Warriors may threaten, China is still too reliant on Taiwan for high-end semiconductors to really threaten its supply, and it is not ready to invade Taiwan with a realistic chance of success.

By targeting only a small portion of relatively inconsequential Taiwanese imports, China is just slapping Taiwan on the wrist.

The Taiwanese should play along and moan like they have been mortally wounded to give China some face, so it can (gracefully) retreat from the uncomfortable corner it back itself into.

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Did China Make 7nm Chips In Spite Of US Sanctions?!

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Did China successfully fabricate 7nm chips, despite US sanctions on advanced chip manufacturing technology?

Well, yes, but not quite. Here is what you need to know about China’s mysterious 7nm chips!

China Made 7nm Chips In Spite Of US Sanctions!

A TechInsights report recently concluded that China has successfully created 7nm chips since last year.

This caused quite a ruckus, because it essentially meant that China jumped two generations ahead in chip manufacturing technology!

The TechInsights team bought a MinerVa mining ASIC which used a custom chip that has been manufactured by China’s SMIC since July 2021.

When they examined the chip, they discovered that it was fabricated on a 7nm process that appears to be a “close copy” of a 7nm process used by TSMC – the Taiwanese foundry giant.

The MinerVa chip is small – at just 19.3 mm², with 120 chips populating the MinerVa board. Each mining ASIC has 3 of these boards, for a total of 360 chips and a total power consumption of 3300 watts.

This discovery is deeply concerning to many people, because it meant that China has more advanced chip manufacturing technology than is even available in the United States or EU.

After all, US sanctioned the sale of advanced chip manufacturing technology to China – which was meant to crippled China’s ability to manufacture such chips.

US Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer used this report to stress the danger of delaying the $50 billion subsidy package for semiconductor manufacturing in the United States.

Members of both sides know that America’s chips crisis is sending shock waves across the economy.

It is endangering our national security. […] China’s top chips maker has now likely advanced its tech by two generations, threatening U.S. competitiveness.

But the situation really isn’t as dire as many people make it out to be…

SMIC / China Barely Made Those 7nm Chips

After the report was released, the Internet fell into two main camps – American politicians and China hawks bemoaning the “loss” of Western chip making advantage, and pro-CCP netizens celebrating it.

First, let me start by congratulating China / SMIC on achieving this feat despite being hobbled by US sanctions on crucial chipmaking technology.

Whether China / SMIC “copied / stole / bought” the technology knowhow from TSMC whose 7nm process it closely resembles, it is still a remarkable achievement.

That said, SMIC / China barely made those 7nm chips, and here are the reasons why…

SMIC manufactured these 7nm chips using older Deep Ultraviolet Lithography (DUV) machines, instead of the state-of-art Extreme Ultraviolet Light (EUV) lithography machines made by Dutch company ASML.

This isn’t extraordinary in itself – TSMC and Samsung had much earlier developed 7nm process nodes using the older DUV machines. However, this comes at the cost of “increased process complexity and design rule restrictions“.

That is likely why the MinerVa chip is not only very small, it actually lacks SRAM (Static Random Access Memory) that is critical in processors that run our computers and smartphones.

The simpler design and small size allow SMIC to obtain sufficient workable chips, even with a poor yield. However, the cost of chip would be much higher than if it was manufactured on a higher-quality process.

So for all intents and purposes – this should be considered as a niche / prototype 7nm process, and not a true 7nm process node.

On top of that, SMIC apparently isn’t capable of producing large quantities of these 7nm chips, suggesting either a yield problem, or difficulty in scaling up.

MinerVa has not been able to deliver the mining ASICs based on these SMIC 7nm chips in large numbers. A Bitcoin mining company – Stronghold Digital Mining, for example, said that it ordered 15,000 miners from MinerVa but only received about 3,200 units as of March 2022.

For China / SMIC to present a true “threat” as far as chipmaking is concerned, it would have to be capable of manufacturing MILLIONS of chips, not thousands.

Regardless of whether the Americans are howling in despair, or the pro-CCP netizens are howling in delight, China really does not have true 7nm chipmaking capability for mass production yet.

And even if they somehow manage to improve and scale up this 7nm DUV process, they cannot make more advanced chips without EUV machines made by ASML.

As long as the Dutch government holds firm on blocking sale of ASML’s EUV machines to China, this is likely as far as they can go… unless they invade Taiwan, which is where TSMC is based and has the world’s most advanced chip manufacturing facilities.

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India Just Banned Almost All Single-Use Plastic Items!

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India just imposed a ban on almost all single-use plastic items, to combat plastic pollution!

India Just Banned All Single-Use Plastic Items!

On Friday, July 1, 2022, India imposed a ban on all single-use plastic items – everything from straws and disposable cutlery to cigarette packets!

With the ban in effect, the manufacture, import, stocking, distribution, sale and use of all identified single-use plastic items are hereby prohibited in India.

Those who violate this single-use plastic ban may be jailed for up to five years, or fined more than 100,000 rupees (about US$1,267 | £1,046 | RM 5,582).

The Indian government has setup special control rooms to monitor and enforce the ban at national and state levels.

India Still Allows Some Single-Use Plastic Items

This measure was announced more than two years ago by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on January 26, 2019. The list of prohibited single use plastic items include :

plastic straws
plastic cups, glasses, plates, trays, spoons, forks, knives
ear buds with plastic sticks
plastic flags
plastic stirrers for tea / coffee
wrapping and packaging films
plastic sticks for balloons, candy and ice-cream
cigarette packets, sweet boxes, invitation cards
polystyrene (thermocol / styrofoam) decoration
plastic or PVC banners less than 100 microns thick

The items have been chosen on the basis of three criteria – their low utility, high littering potential and availability of alternative materials.

We know that the manufacturers of these banned items have already shifted or are in the process of shifting, and notices had been sent out by the CPCB last year to these companies alerting them of the ban and to begin the process.

We have given manufacturers plenty of time for preparation – 11 months – before the ban was to come into force. We believe that we have their support and cooperation.

– Indian Environment, Forests and Climate Change Minister Bhupender Yada

The only single-use plastic items exempted from this ban are PET plastic water bottles, and thick plastic bags.

In 2021, India had already banned plastic bags with a thickness of below 75 microns thick. The government has asked manufacturers and importers to increase the thickness of plastic bags, to promote reuse.

India’s Central Pollution Control Board is also asking people to switch to cotton and jute bags, clay cups, bamboo or wooden cutlery, as well as items made of biodegradable materials.

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Malaysia Cancels Chicken Price Float, Maintains Water + Power Rates!

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The Prime Minister of Malaysia just cancelled the floating of chicken price, and maintained water and electricity power rates!

Here is what you need to know…

Earlier : Malaysia Removes Price Control + Subsidy For Chicken!

On 21 June 2022, Malaysia’s Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs (KPDNHEP) Minister Alexander Nanta Linggi, announced that price control for chicken and chicken eggs, as well as subsidies for palm oil used for cooking will be removed.

From 1 July 2022 onwards, the price of chicken was supposed to be floated, and would depend on market forces. The price of chicken was expected to increase from RM8.90 per kg currently, to about RM11.90 per kg, once its price was floated.

The government needed to remove the price control on chickens because they would stop giving subsidies to poultry farmers on 1 July 2022 as well.

Now : Malaysia Cancels Chicken Price Float, Maintains Water + Power Rates!

Just 3 days later, the Prime Minister of Malaysia announced a U-turn on removing price control on chickens.

At 5:45 PM on 24 June 2022, the Prime Minister of Malaysia Ismail Sabri announced that the government has cancelled the floating of chicken price, and will continue to impose a price ceiling.

However, this does not mean the chicken price will remain at its current ceiling prices of :

Standard whole chicken : RM 8.90 per kg
Super whole chicken (without legs, head, liver and gizzard) : RM 9.90 per kg

According to his official statement, the government will announce the new ceiling price for chicken later.

He also announced that the government has decided to maintain the current water and electricity tariffs in Peninsular Malaysia, by continuing to provide subsidies worth approximately RM 5.8 billion.

Domestic users : A rebate of 2 sen per kW-hour will be maintained, with no surcharge.
Commercial and industrial users : A surcharge of 3.70 sen per kW-hour will be maintained.

This is good news for domestic users, but not so good news for commercial and industrial users who have to put up with the surcharge.

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Chipmakers Brace For Noble Gas Shortage, After Russia Cut Supply!

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Chipmakers worldwide are bracing for a noble gas shortage, after Russia cut supplies! Here is what you need to know…

Chipmakers Brace For Noble Gas Shortage, After Russia Cut Supply!

On June 2, 2022, the Russian government issued a decree stating that export of noble gases will be subject to Moscow’s approval until December 31, based on the recommendations of the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

This effectively cuts or limits the export of critical noble gases to “unfriendly” countries, and was a direct response to the fifth round of sanctions imposed by the European Union in April.

Russia and Ukraine were leading producers of noble gases since the days of the Soviet Union, and jointly supplied about 30% of the chipmaking industry’s supply of neon gas.

Both countries were closely intertwined in their noble gas supply to the world. Russia produced raw neon gas as a byproduct of its steelworks, and sent it to Ukraine for purification. That ceased with the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

How Badly Will Russia Noble Gas Cut Affect Chipmakers?

Noble gases like neon, argon, xenon and helium are critical in the production of microelectronics that power everything from computers to smartphones and cars.

Neon, in particular, plays a critical role in the optical lithographic process used to etch patterns on silicon wafers, creating circuits in semiconductor chips.

The state-of-the-art excimer pulsed laser used to create semiconductors, for example, requires an argon-fluorine-neon mixture, up to 95% of which is made up of exceptionally pure neon gas.

That’s why about 70% of the world’s supply of neon gas (about 540,000 tonnes) is used by the semiconductor industry.

Fortunately, Russia’s decision to cut noble gas supplies may have less impact that they assumed, because chipmakers prepared for such an eventuality.

The semiconductor industry used to rely on Ukraine and Russia for about 80% to 90% of their neon gas supply, but they started diversifying their noble gas supplies after Russia invaded and annexed Crimea in 2014.

Over the last 7-8 years, they managed to cut down their dependence on Ukraine and Russia to about 30%. And the industry generally maintains gas reserves that would last 3-6 months.

China is the main beneficiary of reduced noble gas supply from Russia. Since the war started, Chinese noble gas producers said that their daily order enquiries have jumped 5X to 6X.

For now, the semiconductor industry does not need to reduce production, but the reduced market supply will mean noble gas prices will remain elevated for some time to come.

Needless to say – this will increase the cost of semiconductors, the cost of which will be passed onto consumers.

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Exasperated Apple Shifts Some iPad Production Out Of China!

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Apple has gotten so exasperated that they shifted some iPad production out of China for the first time!

Here is what we know so far…

Exasperated Apple Shifts Some iPad Production Out Of China!

Apple has reportedly shifted some of its iPad production out of China, over the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown in Shanghai.

Strict lockdowns in and around Shanghai after a surge in COVID-19 cases have led to months of supply chain disruptions for Apple, even though their factories operated in a closed loop.

Apple built production lines in Vietnam with the help of China’s BYD, and will “soon start to produce” some iPads there.

Apple had asked Foxconn to move iPad and MacBook Pro production from China to Vietnam in 2020, with plans to manufacture a significant proportion of iPads there. However, a COVID-19 surge in 2021 delayed those plans.

Even though China has started to lift their Zero COVID restrictions in Shanghai, Apple is unlikely to reverse these plans to shift production to Vietnam.

This will be the second major production line to shift to Vietnam. Apple shifted almost 30% of AirPods production to Vietnam in the second quarter of 2020.

Apple Also Asked Suppliers To Build Up Inventories

Apple also asked multiple component suppliers to build up their inventories, to prevent supply chain disruptions from affecting production.

One of the people with direct knowledge of this issue said :

For example, component supplier X has a 40% share of Apple’s business in Jiangsu Province, which is a risky region of supply chain disruption, and supplier Y in another city accounts for the remaining 60% share.

Apple would want supplier Y to build enough additional components to match supplier X’s 40% share in the coming months in case production in Jiangsu is shut down again.

If China continues with its Zero COVID policy, it is likely that Apple and other companies will seriously look at shifting more of their production to other countries.

Supplies of electronics from China’s factories have been severely impacted by their strict COVID-19 lockdowns, even though some factories are allowed to use a closed loop system.

There is also worker welfare to consider – there is only so much they can tolerate the closed loop system, where workers are restricted to factory campuses for weeks on end.

In early May, workers at the Quanta factory producing MacBook laptops in Shanghai rioted over the closed loop system, and fled the factory.

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Samsung Display To Finally Shut Down LCD Business!

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Samsung Display will finally shut down its LCD business in June, closing a chapter in its history!

Here is what we know so far…

Samsung Display To Finally Shut Down LCD Business!

Samsung Display originally sought to close its LCD business in 2020, even selling its LCD plant in Suzhou to CSOT, a Chinese company owned by the TCL conglomerate.

Their original 2020 plan to shut down their LCD business was derailed by the COVID-19 pandemic, which caused a surge in LCD prices. Samsung decided to continue their business, until end of 2022. However, LCD prices have fallen rapidly recently, with price pressure from Chinese and Taiwanese rivals.

Its parent company, Samsung Electronics, was their largest buyer; but even it has agreed to purchase displays from Chinese and Taiwanese companies like BOE Technology Group and AU Optronics Corps.

Samsung Display To Finally Shut Down LCD Business!

In light of such challenging market conditions, Samsung Display decided to close its LCD business six months earlier.

From June 2022 onwards, Samsung Display will stop producing LCD panels used for large TV screens, and focus instead on manufacturing OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode) and Quantum Dot displays.

Employees from its LCD display business are expected to be transferred to its Quantum Dot display business.

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Foxconn To Build New 12-Inch Wafer Fab In Malaysia!

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Foxconn just announced that they will be building a 12-inch wafer fab in Malaysia!

Here is what you need to know…

Foxconn To Build New 12-Inch Wafer Fab In Malaysia!

On 17 May 2022, Foxconn announced that their wholly-owned subsidiary, Big Innovation Holdings Limited (BIH) will form a joint venture company with Dagang NeXchange Berhad (DNeX), to build and operate a new 12-inch wafer fabrication plant in Malaysia.

Both DNeX and BIH have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to collaborate on build and operate the new 12-inch wafer fab.

Under the MOU, DNeX and BIH will work together to “decide the location of the New Fab in Malaysia, financing structure of the project, and initial management structure and key personnel of the New Fab.”

The new fab is expected to produce 40,000 wafers a month, using 28-nanometer and 40-nanometer process technologies developed in 2011 and 2008 respectively.

The 28nm and 40nm process technologies are not new, but they are still in high demand for less complex chips used in industrial, consumer electronics and automotive applications.

New 12-Inch Foxconn Wafer Fab In Malaysia : Not A Done Deal

While this is exciting news for Malaysia, it is not a done deal. Both companies only signed a Memorandum of Understanding, not a contract.

There are no concrete details of where the wafer fab will be located, or how much Foxconn will invest. It is also unknown how many jobs this project would create.

One would do well to remember the $10 billion project that Foxconn announced with the Trump Administration in July 2017.

Foxconn was supposed to build and operate a 20-million square foot manufacturing campus in Wisconsin, that would build flat panel displays, and create 13,000 jobs, in return for $3 billion in subsidies.

In the end, that massive flat panel project was abandoned and downsized into a network operations and storage centre worth about $672 million, creating only 1,454 new jobs.

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Did China Lock Down Shanghai To Spite US Over Ukraine?!

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Did China lock down Shanghai, not to fight COVID-19, but to spite US companies over the Ukraine war?

Take a look at the viral article, and find out what the facts really are!

Claim : China Locked Down Shanghai To Spite US Over Ukraine War!

People are sharing an article by Kanthan Pillay, which claimed that China locked down Shanghai not to fight COVID-19 but to spite US companies over the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

It’s a rather long post, so feel free to skip to the next section for the facts…

Shanghai Lockdown Not Because Of Covid -19!!

Two weeks after Russia’s forces moved into Ukraine, China locked down Shanghai.

Let me hit you with some bullet points:

More than 800 multinational corporations have regional headquarters in Shanghai . Among them, 121 are Fortune Global 500 companies, including Apple, Qualcomm, General Motors, Pepsico.

More than 70 000 foreign companies have offices in Shanghai. More than 24 000 of these are Japanese.

The shutdown of Tesla’s operation in Shanghai because of the lockdown has set the company back with lost production of 40 000 units of electric vehicles. That’s just one car company. Volkswagen and General Motors both have factories in Shanghai.

Ford has a global design center in Shanghai.

Let’s talk about Apple: iPhone supplier Pegatron has its major factory in Shanghai and another in nearby Kunshan. Both have been shut by the lockdown.

TSMC , the world’s most valuable manufacturer of semiconductors, has a major production facility in Shanghai. (TSMC makes 7-nanometre and 5-nanometre chips used by the Apple A14 and M1 SoC .)

Pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca has a global R&D centre in Shanghai.

To top this off, Shanghai is the world’s biggest container port moving more than 47 million shipping containers per year. Shutting down the city for more than a month means 4 million of those have potentially been impacted.

As can be seen, the simple act of shutting down Shanghai has delivered a body blow to global giants in the US sphere of influence at a time when they are already scrambling to reset their economies after their disastrous sanctions against Russia.

Now I know that correlation does not imply causation.

But it is a fact that Russia and China laid out the parameters for a new world order in February…

And it is a fact that their respective actions over the next weeks have brought the economies of the western powers to a grinding halt…

“When you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be true.”

Show less

Truth : China Did NOT Lock Down Shanghai To Spite US Over Ukraine War!

I have read many conspiracy theories about China and the Ukraine War, but this has to be one of the stupidest I have read to date.

I cannot believe I have to actually explain why China did not lock down Shanghai just to spite US companies over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

But here we go…

Fact #1 : China Has Been Locking Down Cities Since 2020

First, I should point out that China has been locking down cities since the COVID-19 pandemic started in Wuhan.

This isn’t a new tactic. China locks down entire cities as part of their COVID Zero policy.

In fact, China locked down 4 additional cities in the first two months of 2022, before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine :

4 January : Yuzhou, Henan province
11 January : Anyang and Zhengzhou, Henan province
7 February : Baise, Jilin province

It is therefore ridiculous for Kanthan Pillay to claim that China locked down Shanghai to spite US companies.

Fact #2 : Shanghai’s COVID-19 Outbreak Began On 28 February

Ironically, Shanghai’s COVID-19 outbreak began on the same day Russia chose to invade Ukraine – 28 February 2022.

I’m surprised Kanthan Pillay did not suggest that the Chinese introduced the Shanghai outbreak as part of a false flag operation to spite US companies. LOL!

Fact #3 : Shanghai Lockdown Only Started A Month Later

Kanthan Pillay falsely claimed that China locked down Shanghai two weeks after Russia invaded Ukraine. Why two weeks? Why not immediately?

In any case, Shanghai only adopted “area-separated and batch-separated control” on 28 March 2022 – a month after their COVID-19 outbreak started, and a month after Russia invaded Ukraine.

Only a week later – on 5 April 2022, did Shanghai put the entire city under lockdown.

Fact #4 : Hong Kong Has More Regional HQs Than Shanghai

In his first “bullet point”, Kanthan Pillay said that more than 800 multinational corporations have their regional headquarters in Shanghai.

What he does not point out to you is that Hong Kong has almost twice as many regional headquarters as Shanghai – 1,457 as of 2021.

If the Chinese wanted to “attack” US companies by targeting their regional headquarters, they would do better to lock down Hong Kong.

But wait – Hong Kong is still NOT under lockdown, even with a massive surge of Omicron cases.

Fact #5 : Regional HQ Not As Important As Factories

Kanthan Pillay does not seem to understand that regional headquarters are not as critical to US companies as the factories that produce goods for them.

Many employees of these regional headquarters can conduct their work from home, even hold meetings virtually from anywhere in the world. So using regional headquarters and design centres as examples of Chinese sabotage is stupid.

Factories, on the other hand, cannot produce goods virtually. Hence, factories that produce goods for US companies are far more important than regional HQs and design centres.

Fact #6 : Shanghai Lockdown Affects All Companies

Kanthan Pillay is apparently unaware thatChina’s lockdown of Shanghai is not limited to US citizens or companies.

The Shanghai lockdown affects all residents, whether they are Chinese citizens or foreigners. Similarly, Chinese companies are affected just as badly as their Western counterparts.

Even more importantly – there are far more Chinese companies in Shanghai than Western companies. More Chinese citizens are being employed by Chinese companies in Shanghai, than Western companies.

If China intentionally locked down Shanghai to spite US companies, they would be sacrificing their own economy to do that.

The Chinese are not quite so stupid as to cut off their noses, just to spite their own faces.

Fact #7 : TSMC Shanghai Fab Is Not State Of Art

Kanthan Pillay also seems to be unaware that the TSMC plant in China is not state of the art, and does not manufacture 7 nm or 5 nm chips as he alleged.

The TSMC Fab 10 foundry in Shanghai was completed around the end of 2004, and produces 8-inch wafers using old 0.25 micron and 0.35 micron processes from the 1990s.

Fact #8 : Shanghai Semiconductor Companies Not Affected By Lockdown

Despite the entire city of Shanghai being under strict lockdown, its semiconductor companies continued to maintain full production.

They managed to achieve this through closed-loop systems, where most employees work on-site while others work remotely from home.

Both TSMC and SMIC say that they are maintaining full production in Shanghai using such closed-loop systems.

Fact #9 : Companies Can Shift To Other Countries

Kanthan Pillay ludicrously believe that China shut down Shanghai to deliver “a body blow to global giants in the US sphere of influence“.

Multinational companies, especially those from the West, can and have shifted to other countries or states, if conditions become unfavourable.

Some have already started shifted production from China to Southeast Asian countries like Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia and Indonesia.

If China did really do this just to spite US companies, it would be one more reason to shift their operations to other countries. It’s not like they can only build factories in China.

Fact #10 : Chinese Sacrifice Will Not Help Russia

What Kanthan Pillay does not explain is WHY on Earth would China sacrifice its own people and economy to help Russia?

And how does crippling Shanghai’s economy help Russia? Sure, Tesla will miss its production target… again, but so what?

These are public-listed companies, not the US government. Whatever happens to these companies won’t have a material effect on the US government, only its shareholders.

Needless to say – it won’t sway Western sanctions on Russia, and it certainly won’t help Russia in any way.

Fact #11 : Western Economies Are Still Doing Fine

Kanthan Pillay ended his article by claiming that such actions by Russia and China have “brought the economies of the Western powers to a grinding halt“.

I have no idea what he has been smoking, but it must be some fantastic shit, because none of the Western economies are remotely close to collapsing!

In fact, the US Fed just made the biggest interest rate increase in 22 years, announcing a 0.5% interest rate hike to tackle inflation.

Other Western economies are poised to similarly raise their interest rates. They would not be raising interest rates if their economies were collapsing as Pillay alleged.

The Kanthan Pillay article is nothing more than a meaningless self-masturbatory fantasy.

Unfortunately, it’s being widely shared by the Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛) and pro-CCP netizens.

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out!

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Secret NATO Headquarters Under Azovstal Exposed?!

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Does NATO have a secret headquarters under the Azovstal plant in Ukraine, where they produce biological weapons?!

Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!

Claim : Secret NATO Headquarters Under Azovstal Exposed!

People are sharing schematics of a secret NATO headquarters under the Azovstal plant, where they claim biological weapons are being produced in Ukraine.

It was actively promoted by Russian political scientist, Sergei Markov, Russia Today, and several Italian TV channels including PiazzaPulita on La7 and Rai 1, as well as the Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛).

Online posts often included this long story, which is rather long, so feel free to skip to the next section for the facts.

What is the secret of Azovstal? In Mariupel there is a secret building with a depth of 30 m underground and on multiple floors.

This building is located under the Azovstal plant, which includes the secret headquarters of the North Atlantic, with the code number (pit_404). For the production of biological weapons, within a highly fortified and protected system, in which 240 foreign scientists of different nationalities are present.

In addition to a number of NATO officers from America…

Germany, Canada, Italy, Spain, Turkey, Sweden, Austria, Poland, Greece, and soldiers from the French Fifth Corps.

They are protected by the Rinat Azov battalion, which is the most dangerous battalion in the Nazi army. They are all professional killers, snipers and … criminals who cannot leave Ukraine, as they are wanted in most countries of the world for many crimes, and they are 3000 fighters.

This headquarters is run by the Metabiota Corporation of Joe Biden’s son, Hunter Biden, and his direct partner, Vladimir Zelensky.

French intelligence tried to evacuate those in special operations, but they failed many times, which led to the release of French intelligence chief Eric Vida from his position as a result of this chain failure.

They assigned the task to the American General Roger Cloute … so his helicopter was shot down before taking off and he was arrested, as he was under follow-up from the GRU in the General Staff and the Russian Foreign Intelligence.

Macron tried a lot to communicate with Putin to secure a safe passage for them, but they were refused and..

Putin’s insistence on bringing them alive or dead. We have a sequel after their arrest…

Show less

Truth : There Is No Secret NATO Headquarters Under Azovstal!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created and shared by not only pro-Russia activists, but also the Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛).

Here are the facts behind the two viral schematics, and why this is just fake news…

Fact #1 : Azovstal Plant Complex Was Created By Soviet Union

The massive Azovstal plant complex was created in the 1930s, as a priority construction project by the Soviet Union.

They spent 292 million rubles to create the massive steel plant complex that would be capable of producing 4 million tons of pig iron a year.

That target was partly demanded by Soviet leaders to beat the Americans whose Gary steel plant was “only” capable of smelting 3 million tons a year.

Fact #2 : Azovstal Bunkers Were Built By Soviet Union

The fake news creators used this infographic from the Daily Mail UK as “evidence” that the Azovstal tunnels were created by NATO.

Ironically, the infographic specifically pointed out that the bunkers and tunnels under the Azovstal plant complex were built by the Soviet Union, to “safeguard the steel plant’s 40,000 workers in the event of a nuclear attack”.

These bunkers and tunnels were built many decades earlier by the Soviet Union, not NATO.

Credit : Daily Mail UK

Fact #3 : No Evidence Of NATO Facility Called PIT-404

There is no evidence of any NATO facility called PIT-404 ever existed.

The fabulous fact checkers at MythDetector.ge did a great job of tracing the origin of this PIT-404 claim to an April 4, 2022 post in the Russian forum, strategium.ru.

In that post, a user called sojnyshkotanya claimed that there is a bio-laboratory under Azovstal, and mentioned PIT several times in reference to Azovstal.

sojnyshkotanya also noted that the best route for the evacuation of Western officials from that facility is from Mariupol to Samsun – a distance of 404 miles.

That was the most likely origin of the name and story of the mysterious PIT-404 underground NATO facility that produces biological weapons.

Fact #4 : PIT-404 Schematic Was From A Board Game!

The image that people are sharing as the PIT-404 NATO facility schematic was actually taken from a board game called Blackout: Journey into Darkness by Richard T. Boardwater.

This board game was pitched on Kickstarter in 2016 as a game for 1-4 people who try to survive in a post-apocalyptic world dominated by monsters, where humans now have to survive in bunkers.

You can see its bunker graphic under the Beneath The Surface section of their Kickstarter pitch), with the following description :

Beneath the crumbling cities, a vast network of subterranean pathways exists. These vast underground chambers are vital to the Brood’s survival. With these tunnels, The Brood emerged to feed on mankind after the great fall. It is these same tunnels they continue to thrive unmolested. Many of the nomadic Unification kill teams have attempted to cleanse these zones but all have been unsuccessful, for the network beneath the surface is vast.

Doesn’t sound like a NATO facility, does it?

The game ultimately didn’t achieve its fundraising goal and was not greenlit, but its bunker design has now found everlasting fame as the (non-existent) PIT-404 NATO facility in the fevered dreams of Russian and Chinese conspiracy theorists.

Fact #5 : PiazzaPulita Admitted Their Mistake

On 22 April 2022, PiazzaPulita admitted that they were wrong to claim that the Blackout bunker schematic was of the Azovstal steel factory bunkers.

As far as I can tell, Sergei Markov – the Russian political scientist and former Putin advisor – has yet to admit his mistake…

Fact #6 : Metabiota Is Not Owned By Hunter Biden Or Volodymyr Zelenskyy

The fake story claimed that “this headquarters is run by the Metabiota Corporation of Joe Biden’s son, Hunter Biden, and his direct partner, Volodymyr Zelensky“. That’s utter nonsense.

Metabiota is a private company owned by 21 venture capitalist companies, one of which is Rosemont Seneca Technology Partners – a private equity firm partly owned by Hunter Biden.

So no, Metabiota is not owned by Hunter Biden. Neither is it owned by Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

The fact that the fake news creators got the name Volodymyr wrong, suggests that they are not Russian. Quite likely, this fake news was created by the Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛).

Fact #7 : French General Eric Vidaud Failed To Predict Russian Invasion

French General Eric Vidaud was fired at the end of March 2022 for failing to predict Russia’s invasion of Ukraine – in sharp contrast with other Western Allies.

Vidaud, who led the Directorate of Military Intelligence (DRM) was asked to step down, after an internal defence ministry investigation criticised “insufficient briefings” and “failure to master the issues”.

The fact that the fake news creators got the name Vidaud wrong, suggests that they are not Russian. Quite likely, this fake news was created by the Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛).

Left : Gen. Eric Vidaud | Right : Lt. Gen. Roger L. Cloutier

Fact #8 : US General Roger Cloutier Jr. Was Not Captured

US Lieutenant General Roger L. Cloutier Jr. was not shot down in his helicopter, and captured by Russian forces in Mariupol.

A NATO spokesperson, Brian Andries said that Cloutier is currently commanding NATO Allied Land Command in Izmir, Turkey and has not been to Ukraine since July 2021.

The fact that the fake news creators got the name Cloutier wrong, suggests that they are not Russian. Quite likely, this fake news was created by the Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛).

Variants of this FAKE NEWS are now being shared in pro-Russia and pro-CCP websites.

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How Central Medicare Leveraged Ruckus For Digital Transformation!

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Find out how Central Medicare leveraged Ruckus network technologies to digitally transform and rapidly expand their business!

Central Medicare Undergoes Digital Transformation + Rapid Expansion

Central Medicare Sdn. Bhd. (CMSB) is a nitrile glove manufacturer, that started with a single manufacturing facility with 6 production lines and an annual manufacturing capacity of 1.1 billion nitrile gloves in 2015.

Based in Teluk Intan, Perak, Central Medicare has been undergoing a massive expansion and digital transformation plan that started in 2019.

They expanded to 27 production lines delivering an annual capacity of 8 billion gloves in 2020, and 34 production lines with an annual capacity of 11.6 billion in 2021.

How Central Medicare Leveraged Ruckus For Digital Transformation!

Peter Cheong, the IT Assistant Manager of Central Medicare, recently shared how they leveraged Ruckus network technologies for digital transformation during their rapid expansion plans.

As Central Medicare added more production facilities, it was becoming complicated to manage the rapidly expanding digital network.

After a thorough evaluation process that included top brands like Cisco, Aruba and Juniper, the IT team decided to leverage Ruckus network technologies for their new digital network.

They started creating their new digital network in 2016, using Ruckus ICX7150 network switches, and Ruckus ZoneDirector 1200 with R500 and R600 series wireless APs.

Both Ruckus switches and wireless APs allowed them to link and manage their different facilities in a centralised, unified manner.

The Ruckus wireless APs also allowed them to create an isolated Wi-Fi network for their customers and suppliers to use, hardening their network security.

The team also liked how Ruckus’ centralised management interface is so user-friendly, making it easy to manage for people who are not IT-savvy.

On top of that, the Ruckus KnowledgeBase is so comprehensive and easy-to-use that they can self-manage their network, without requiring any technical assistance.

All those advantages allowed the IT team to remotely manage their network during the COVID-19 pandemic MCO lockdowns.

The reliability of Ruckus network also shone through during the pandemic – Peter stated that they have not experienced a single failure, since they implemented their Ruckus network 5 years ago.

Central Medicare plans to continue leveraging Ruckus network technologies as they continue to expand their business and production facilities in 2022.

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CNY 2022 : Heavy Vehicles + Speed Limit Reduced!

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Malaysia has limited or banned heavy vehicles, and reduced the speed limit for the CNY 2022 holiday rush!

Here is what you need to know!

CNY 2022 : Heavy Vehicles Banned / Limited!

The roads and highways will be jammed packed during the coming Chinese New Year 2022 holidays.

To mitigate the problem, the Road Transport Department (JPJ) issued a directive banning or limiting heavy vehicles during Chinese New Year 2022.

This directive will be enforced on four days (not including the two CNY public holidays) :

Before CNY : 30 and 31 January 2022
After CNY : 3 and 4 February 2022

Category 1 : Total Ban

Car carrier, tipper, dumper and tipping trucks whose fully-loaded weight exceeds 7,500 kg, low loader, pole trailer, bulk cement tanker, platform trailer, lumber lorry, heavy wheeled machinery and tractor.
Lorry carrying cement, steel, stone, sand, earth and other construction material, tin tailing, tin ore, coal and other mining ores.

Category 2 : Banned From 12 AM to 8 AM

Container lorry, except for container lorry carrying goods from ports or airport to and from industrial area within the same state.
Lorry carrying electronic and electrical / industrial goods to and from the port or airport to the industrial area.
Lorry carrying oil palm and rubber goods from the plantation to the industrial area.
Empty cargo lorry travelling home.

Category 3 : Banned From 6 PM to 6 AM, Within 25 KM Of Construction Site

Moving crane and cement mixer lorry

Exceptions

Heavy wheeled machinery and moving cranes are given exceptions for emergency work.
Any vehicle carrying goods not mentioned in this directive are allowed to travel during this period.

CNY 2022 : Speed Limit Reduced!

As part of Ops Bersepadu, the Works Ministry (KKR) will reduce the speed limit for federal and state roads by 10 km/h.

From 25 January until 8 February, these will be the new speed limits :

Federal roads : 80 km/h
State roads : 70 km/h

CNY 2022 : Speed Limit Enforced Using In-Car Radar + iCOPS!

The Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) will also use In-Car Radar and the iCOPS vehicle plate scanner to enforce the speed limit.

From 28 January until 6 February 2022, PDRM will carry out the 17th Ops Selamat, using Expressway Mobile Patrol Vehicles (EMPV) equipped with both systems.

The In-Car Radar system will be used to make sure all road users abide by the speed limit, while the iCOPS system will be used to check if a driver has any outstanding summonses or traffic arrest arrests, or whether the vehicle was used in any crime.

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Why COVID-19 Vaccine Shelf Life Keeps Getting Extended!

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Did you know that COVID-19 vaccine shelf life can be extended beyond what’s printed on the vial, sometimes more than once?

Find out why they keep extending vaccine shelf life, and whether we should be worried about that!

COVID-19 Vaccine Shelf Life Is Way Too Short

Based on their experience developing past vaccines, manufacturers have a good idea of how long their vaccines will remain stable and retain their quality and efficacy.

When properly stored, vaccines can last a long time. Most vaccines actually have a shelf life of about three years.

However, vaccine manufacturers have been extraordinarily cautious when it comes to COVID-19 vaccines. Many COVID-19 vaccines ship with shelf lives of only 3 to 6 months!

The key takeaway point is that COVID-19 vaccine shelf lives are extraordinarily short. Many healthcare professionals would call them way too short.

COVID-19 Vaccine Shelf Life Extension Is Normal

The ultra-short shelf life for COVID-19 vaccines have led to criticism that such excessive caution is leading to wastage.

Even while there is a global shortage of vaccines, many doses had to be disposed when they “expired”, even though they are still safe and effective to use.

The WHO has been urging countries to hold onto those “expired doses” while manufacturers are assessing whether their shelf lives can be extended.

The US FDA also points out that vaccines authorised for emergency use do NOT have fixed expiry dates.

Once new stability studies prove that the vaccine remains stable and effective over time, the expiry date of those vaccines can and will be extended.

I should point out that these extended COVID-19 vaccine shelf lives are still very conservative. Perhaps overly conservative.

In fact, we should expect them to keep getting extended as further stability tests show that they do actually last very long.

Which COVID-19 Vaccine Has Extended Shelf Life?

You may be surprised to know this, but the shelf life of many COVID-19 vaccines have extended, sometimes more than once.

So do NOT be alarmed if you are given a dose from a vial with an “expired date“. It does NOT mean that you have been given a “bad vaccine”.

It just means that the vaccine has been proven to last much longer than originally expected.

Pfizer-BioNTech COMIRNATY

The Pfizer-BioNTech COMIRNATY vaccine originally had a 6 month shelf life. That was extended by 3 months, to 9 months on 22 August 2021.

On 16 December 2021, the US FDA also extended shelf life for the COMIRNATY vaccine that uses the Tris buffer to 9 months.

So all existing vaccine doses can be used for an additional 3 months beyond their printed expiry dates, as long as they are stored between -90ºC to -60ºC.

Moderna Spikevax

The Moderna COVID-19 vaccine originally had a 7 month shelf life.

On 23 December 2021, both UK MHRA and Health Canada extended its shelf life by 2 months, to 9 months, as long as it is stored between -25ºC to -15ºC.

The US FDA also extended the shelf life of certain lots by 2 months, to 9 months, as long as they are stored between -50ºC to -15ºC.

J&J Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine

The Janssen COVID-19 vaccine from Johnson & Johnson originally has a 3 month (90-day) shelf life.

The US FDA extended its shelf life to 4.5 months (135 days) on 10 June 2021, and then 6 months (180 days) on 28 July 2021.

All existing vaccine doses can now be used for an additional 1.5 to 3 months (45 to 60 days) beyond their printed expiry dates, as long as they are stored at 2-8ºC.

AstraZeneca Vaxzevria

In May 2021, Health Canada extended the shelf life of about 45,000 AstraZeneca doses by a month, following review of stability data.

It allowed the use of doses with an original expiry date of 31 May 2021, until 1 July 2021.

Otherwise, all AstraZeneca vaccine doses remain with their original shelf life of six months.

Sinovac CoronaVac

The CoronaVac inactivated virus vaccine from Sinovac originally had a 6-month shelf life, which was later extended to 12 months, when it was approved by the WHO.

However, Sinovac appears to give the CoronaVac different shelf lives depending on who’s purchasing their vaccine – 1 year in Malaysia, 2 years in Singapore, and 3 years in Indonesia and Thailand.

Sinopharm BIBP

The Sinopharm BIBP vaccine has a 24-month shelf life, as registered with the WHO. With such a long shelf life, there is no real need for an extension.

CanSino Convidecia

The CanSino Convidecia vaccine has a 24-month shelf life, and remains stable for 60 days at room temperature.

With such a long shelf life, there is no real need for an extension.

SII Covishield

Covishield is a rebranded AstraZeneca vaccine manufactured by the Serum Institute of India, and has the same original 6 month shelf life.

In March 2021, the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) extended its shelf life by 3 additional months, to 9 months.

Bharat Covaxin

Covaxin originally had a shelf life of 6 months, but that was extended to 12 months by the Indian Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation on 3 November 2021.

All existing vaccine doses can now be used for an additional 6 months beyond their printed expiry dates, as long as they are stored at 2-8ºC.

Sputnik V

The Russian vaccine – Sputnik V originally had an incredibly short 2-month shelf life at -18ºC.

The Russian Healthcare Ministry then allowed it to be stored for 2 months at 2-8ºC, before later extending it to 6 months when stored at -18ºC to -22ºC.

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Sony Penang Lowers Flag After 37 Years…

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Sony finally lowered the flag at its audio plant in Penang, Malaysia, marking a sad end to 37 years of operation.

Sony Penang Audio Plant : Flag Lowering Ceremony

On 18 December 2021, Sony officially lowered the flag at their PG Tec manufacturing facility in Penang.

According to Penang Kini, Sony had a flag lowering ceremony at their PG Tec manufacturing facility in Penang, at 8 AM on Saturday, 18 December 2021.

This sad end to Sony Penang comes just days after Intel announced a massive US$7 billion (RM30 billion) chip plant in Penang.

Sony Penang Audio Plant : Slated To Close By March 2022

Just over a year ago, Sony announced the closure of their PG Tec manufacturing facility, which spanned a land area of 172,000 m², with a total built-up area of 95,000 m².

Based in the Prai Industrial Zone, the Sony PG Tec facility produced audio products like the WH-1000XM3 and WP-SP900 headphones, wireless speakers, home theatre systems and Blu-ray players.

It was also the home of a local Sony R&D team that designed the Sony MHC-V81D sound system, amongst other audio products.

At that time, Sony said that the PG Tec audio plant would stop operations in September 2021, and close by March 2022.

The 3,400 or so employees at the Sony PG Tec facility were offered the option of a severance plan, or relocation to the Sony EMCS factory in Bangi, Selangor. Some 1,800 employees are local, while another 1,600 are foreigners.

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Intel To Build New $7 Billion Chip Plant In Penang, Malaysia!

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Intel just announced that they are going to build a new $7 billion chip packaging and testing facility in Penang, Malaysia!

Intel To Build New $7 Billion Chip Plant In Malaysia!

On 16 December 2021, Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger officially announced a $7 billion (RM30 billion) investment to build a new chip packaging and testing facility in Penang, Malaysia.

The new Intel facility will add advanced chip packaging capabilities, as well as expand their existing assembly test manufacturing and die preparation capability in Malaysia.

This investment continues Intel’s 49-year old presence in Penang, and is expected to create over 4,000 Intel jobs, as well as 5,000 construction jobs for Malaysians.

The new facility will not address the current semiconductor shortage though, as it will only begin production in 2024.

Intel has two new plants in Arizona, United States, that will also become fully-operational in 2024; with further plans to invest up to €80 billion (US$90.5 billion) to build new chip plants in Europe.

Intel’s New $7 Billion Chip Plant In Malaysia : Diversity Is Key!

The new Penang plant appears to be part of Gelsinger’s plans to diversify chip production globally to avoid any production shock from geopolitical troubles (think Taiwan vs China), or natural disasters from earthquakes and climate change.

Gelsinger had earlier warned, “Taiwan is not a stable place. Beijing sent 27 warplanes to Taiwan’s air defence identification zone last week. Does that make you feel more comfortable or less?”

That drew the ire of TSMC Chairman and CEO, Morris Chang, who remarked that Gelsinger does not have “enough time” to take Intel back to the top (of the semiconductor industry).

While Intel did have an earlier retirement age limit of 65 (Gelsinger turns 61 in March 2022), that was since been extended to 75.

So Intel under Gelsinger may have a chance to wrest back significant market share from TSMC, before he retires.

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Pfizer + Sinovac Vaccine Shelf Life Extended In Malaysia!

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The shelf life of COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer and Sinovac has been EXTENDED in Malaysia!

Here is what you need to know…

Why Extend Pfizer + Sinovac Vaccine Shelf Life?

Vaccines generally have a shelf life of about 3 years, so many manufacturers were extraordinarily cautious when they only gave their COVID-19 vaccines a shelf life of about 6 months.

Such a short shelf life would mean that health authorities have to maintain a frenetic pace of vaccinations, or risk the expiry of their vaccine doses.

Even while there is a global shortage of vaccines, many doses had to be disposed when they “expired”, even though they are still safe and effective to use.

And we know that they are safe to use past their “original shelf life” because of ongoing stability data.

So it really makes sense to extend vaccine shelf life based on new stability data, to cut down on waste.

Pfizer + Sinovac Vaccine Shelf Life Extended In Malaysia!

On 16 November 2021, the Malaysia Ministry of Health (KKM) announced that the National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency (NPRA) had officially approved the shelf life extensions for these vaccines :

Vaccine	Registration	Manufacturer	Newly Approved Shelf Life
Sinovac CoronaVac	MAL21046125ACSZ	Pharmaniaga Lifescience S/B Malaysia	12 Months (+6 Months)
Pfizer-BioNTech COMIRNATY	MAL21016022AZ	Pfizer Belgium NV, Belgium	9 Months (+3 Months)
Pfizer-BioNTech COMIRNATY	MAL21036039ASZ	BioNTech GmbH, Germany	9 Months (+3 Months)

This shelf life extension will extend to ALL VACCINE STOCKS retrospectively, and would extend to any new doses that Malaysia may receive from now on.

In addition, the three manufacturers now have 6 months to update the shelf life that is printed on their vaccine vials.

This announcement comes after a complaint went viral on WhatsApp, claiming that the Ministry of Health was “secretly” extending the expiry dates of the Pfizer vaccine against manufacturer’s recommendations.

Existing Pfizer Vaccine Batches With Extended Shelf Life

Here is a list of existing Pfizer vaccine batches that will be given extended shelf life :

Batch	Original Expiry Date	New Expiry Date
FE8163	31 October 2021	31 January 2022
FF0884	30 November 2021	28 February 2022
FF0884	30 November 2021	28 February 2022
FF8871	30 November 2021	28 February 2022
FG3716	30 November 2021	28 February 2022
FG2872	30 November 2021	28 February 2022
FG9019	31 December 2021	31 March 2022
FG7900	31 December 2021	31 March 2022
FH2528	31 December 2021	31 March 2022
FG6272	31 December 2021	31 March 2022
FH8773	31 January 2022	30 April 2022
FH3253	31 January 2022	30 April 2022
FH4763	31 January 2022	30 April 2022
FH8773	31 January 2022	30 April 2022
FK0112	31 January 2022	30 April 2022
FK5475	31 January 2022	30 April 2022
FH4752	31 January 2022	30 April 2022
FJ5973	31 January 2022	30 April 2022
FK6858	31 January 2022	30 April 2022
FH3221	28 February 2022	31 May 2022

Existing Sinovac Vaccine Batches With Extended Shelf Life

Here is a list of existing Sinovac vaccine batches that will be given extended shelf life :

Batch	Original Expiry Date	New Expiry Date
5019117	30 September 2021	31 March 2022
5019383	31 October 2021	30 April 2022
5019401	31 October 2021	30 April 2022
5019402	31 October 2021	30 April 2022
5019403	31 October 2021	30 April 2022
5019482	31 October 2021	30 April 2022
5019486	31 October 2021	30 April 2022
5019492	31 October 2021	30 April 2022
5019494	30 November 2021	31 May 2022
5019495	30 November 2021	31 May 2022
5019496	30 November 2021	31 May 2022
5019497	30 November 2021	31 May 2022
5019499	30 November 2021	31 May 2022
5019501	30 November 2021	31 May 2022
5019502	30 November 2021	31 May 2022
5019504	30 November 2021	31 May 2022
5019533	30 November 2021	31 May 2022
5019534	30 November 2021	31 May 2022
5019541	30 November 2021	31 May 2022
5019545	30 November 2021	31 May 2022
5019546	30 November 2021	31 May 2022
5019549	31 December 2021	30 June 2022
5019550	31 December 2021	30 June 2022
5019551	31 December 2021	30 June 2022
5019553	31 December 2021	30 June 2022
5019554	31 December 2021	30 June 2022
5019555	31 December 2021	30 June 2022
5019556	31 December 2021	30 June 2022
5019558	31 December 2021	30 June 2022
5019559	31 December 2021	30 June 2022
5019560	31 December 2021	30 June 2022
5019561	31 December 2021	30 June 2022
5019694	30 November 2021	31 May 2022
5019695	30 November 2021	31 May 2022
5019697	30 November 2021	31 May 2022
5019698	30 November 2021	31 May 2022
5020068	31 December 2021	30 June 2022
5020069	31 December 2021	30 June 2022
5020071	31 December 2021	30 June 2022
5020072	31 December 2021	30 June 2022
5020086	31 December 2021	30 June 2022
5020087	31 December 2021	30 June 2022
5020096	31 January 2022	31 July 2022
5020097	31 January 2022	31 July 2022
5020099	31 January 2022	31 July 2022
5020100	31 January 2022	31 July 2022
5020102	31 January 2022	31 July 2022
5020103	31 January 2022	31 July 2022
5020118	31 January 2022	31 July 2022
5020119	31 January 2022	31 July 2022
5020121	31 January 2022	31 July 2022
5020122	31 January 2022	31 July 2022
5020124	31 January 2022	31 July 2022
5020125	31 January 2022	31 July 2022
5020127	31 January 2022	31 July 2022
5020128	31 January 2022	31 July 2022
5020130	31 January 2022	31 July 2022
5020131	31 January 2022	31 July 2022
5020291	31 January 2022	31 July 2022
5020292	28 February 2022	31 August 2022
5020294	28 February 2022	31 August 2022
5020295	28 February 2022	31 August 2022
5020297	28 February 2022	31 August 2022
5020298	28 February 2022	31 August 2022
5020300	28 February 2022	31 August 2022
5020301	28 February 2022	31 August 2022
5020303	28 February 2022	31 August 2022
5020304	28 February 2022	31 August 2022
5020306	28 February 2022	31 August 2022
5020307	28 February 2022	31 August 2022
5020309	28 February 2022	31 August 2022
5020310	28 February 2022	31 August 2022
5020315	28 February 2022	31 August 2022
5020316	28 February 2022	31 August 2022
5020321	28 February 2022	31 August 2022
5020322	28 February 2022	31 August 2022

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National Recovery Plan Phase 3 SOP : 7 November Edition!

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Here is the latest SOP for Phase 3 of the National Recovery Plan (PPN) for Malaysia!

Please SHARE this out, so your friends are updated on the latest Phase 3 SOP as well!

For Phase 1 SOP, please see PPN 1 SOP : 25 August 2021 Edition!
For Phase 2 SOP, please see PPN 2 SOP : 11 October Edition!
For Phase 4 SOP, please see PPN 4 SOP : 7 November Edition!

National Recovery Plan Phase 3 SOP : Where Does It Apply?

This Phase 3 SOP currently applies to Sarawak and Kelantan.

National Recovery Plan Phase 3 SOP : 11 October Video!

This video shows the latest National Recovery Plan SOP slides (11 October 2021) for Phase 3, followed by our English translation.

Note : We are still working on the 7 November video, which will be posted shortly…

National Recovery Plan Phase 3 SOP : 7 November Edition!

This is the new National Recovery Plan Phase 3 SOP that was released on 7 November 2021.

Fully Vaccinated Definition

Under this SOP, you are only considered fully-vaccinated if you meet these requirements :

For vaccines that require two doses (like the Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca, Sinovac or Sinopharm vaccines), the individual must exceed 14 days after receiving the second dose.
For vaccines that require only one dose (like the Johnson & Johnson and CanSino vaccines), the individual must exceed 28 days after receiving the second dose.

For individuals who cannot be vaccinated on medical reasons, they must produce a medical report that has been verified by a registered medical practitioner.

General Health Protocol In Phase 3 Areas

Licence holders and premise owners must provide MySejahtera QR code and a manual logbook to register customers.
Hand sanitiser must be provided at the entrance, and customers must use it before entering.
The use of MySejahtera is mandatory is areas with good Internet connectivity. The use of logbook is only allowed in areas with no Internet connectivity, or other reasonable excuse.
Licence holders and premise owners must ensure that customers and workers check in using MySejahtera. or the manual logbook if there’s no Internet connectivity.
Employers, employees, customers and visitors are required to check in using MySejahtera or write their names and phone numbers legibly in the logbook (if there is no Internet connectivity).
In shopping malls, customers only need to scan their body temperatures ONCE at the mall entry point. It is not necessary to scan their body temperature at every premise in the mall.
Those with body temperatures exceeding 37.5 degrees Celsius are NOT ALLOWED to enter.
Malls and premise owners must ensure that only customers with Low Risk or Casual Contact Low Risk in MySejahtera are allowed to enter.
Licence holders and premise owners must ensure that customers must maintain physical distance of at least 1 metre entering or leaving their premises.
Individuals 18 years or younger are not encouraged to be in public places and facilities.
Premise owners and business licence holders must restrict the number of customers within their premises to ensure at least 1 metre physical distancing.
Every premise must publicly display the limit of customers allowed inside at any one time. The use of a numbered queue system is encouraged to control the number of customers.
All building owners must provide QR Codes for each floor / level.
It is MANDATORY for employees, suppliers and customers to properly wear face masks while within the premise.
There must be good VENTILATION at the premise according to ventilation and indoor air quality guidelines issued by the Department of Occupational Safety and Health (JKKP).
It is MANDATORY to wear a face mask, especially in crowded public areas, EXCEPT in these places or situations :
a) hotel room or paid accommodation, alone or with your own family
b) Personal working space
c) Sporting activities and outdoor recreation
d) Personal vehicle, alone or with your own family
e) Indoor or outdoor public areas, when there are no other individuals
f) While eating or drinking in public areas, when there are no other individuals (except in restaurants or other food & beverage premises)

Benefits For Fully Vaccinated People In Phase 3 Areas

Interstate Travel

Interstate travel is ALLOWED for fully-vaccinated individuals by showing the digital COVID-19 vaccination certificate or card, and identity card / passport as evidence.
Fully-vaccinated individuals are ALLOWED to bring children 18 years and below, subject to public health protocols.
It is encouraged to undergo a COVID-19 screening test when conducting these activities. New!

Overseas Travellers

Malaysian citizens or foreigners who have homes in Malaysia (including PR and Malaysia My Second Home participants) arriving from overseas, are ALLOWED to undergo mandatory quarantine at home if they are fully vaccinated, on accepting a digital Home Surveillance Order (HSO) subject to these conditions:
– Show proof of a valid negative RT-PCR test taken within 3 days of departure
– Have a valid and complete COVID-19 vaccination certificate (depending on the type of vaccine).
– Have no symptoms during the health screening conducted at the International entry point.
– Have suitable accommodations to undergo quarantine
Individuals who arrive from overseas and are not fully vaccinated, or have not been vaccinated, must undergo mandatory quarantine in a KKM-approved quarantine centre.
The mandatory quarantine for overseas travellers is 7 days at home (if appropriate) or quarantine station for fully-vaccinated individuals, and 10 days in a quarantine station for individuals who are not fully-vaccinated.
Travellers must conduct a self-assessment using the Home Assessment Tool (HAT) in the MySejahtera app, every day until the end of the quarantine period (7 or 10 days after arrival).
Travellers must undergo a COVID-19 RT-PCR screening test on arrival.

Monitoring For Close Contacts

7 day home quarantine for fully-vaccinated individuals.
10 day home quarantine for individuals who are not fully-vaccinated.

Test & Release (R&T) Protocol

The pilot program for the test & release (T&R) protocol is limited to this group of low-risk travellers arriving from overseas, with strict travel plans / itinerary for official visits :
a) National figure
b) Minister
c) Deputy Minister
d) Chief Minister
e) State EXCO member
f) Members of Parliament
g) Government official
The requirements for this programme include :
– submitting an application with supporting documents to MKN and KKM for approval
– undergoing a PCR test 3 days before returning to Malaysia
– undergoing a PCR test on arrival in Malaysia

Dine-In

Restaurant operator including in hotel, sports and recreational club house, food establishment, food stall, food truck, roadside vendor, mobile vendor, food court, hawker centre, and food kiosk are ALLOWED to provide dine-in services, subject to these conditions :
– Only accept fully-vaccinated customers who are not symptomatic.
– Premise owners MUST display a notice on accepting fully-vaccinated customers who are not symptomatic at the entrance.
– Only employees who are fully-vaccinated and not symptomatic are allowed to work.
– Premise owners must arrange the tablets to ensure physical distance, and the premise must have good ventilation.
– Dine-in activities with physical distancing of at least 1 meter is subject to the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs (KPDNHEP) SOP for Phase 3.
Fully-vaccinated individuals are ALLOWED to bring children 18 years or younger to dine-in at these premises, while complying with general health protocols.

Sports + Recreation

All sports and recreational activities with physical contact performed OUTDOORS are LIMITED to individuals who are fully-vaccinated, from 6 AM until 12 midnight.
All OUTDOOR sports and recreational facilities are ALLOWED to operate with activities that require physical touch for fully-vaccinated individuals and their children who are under 18 years old of age, subject to strict SOP. Worker capacity (both management and operations) cannot exceed 80%.
All sports and recreational activities, with or without physical contact, performed INDOORS are LIMITED to individuals who are fully-vaccinated, from 6 AM until 12 midnight.
All INDOOR sports and recreational facilities are ALLOWED to operate with activities that require physical touch at up to 50% capacity, LIMITED to fully-vaccinated individuals and their children who are under 18 years old of age, subject to strict SOP. Worker capacity (both management and operations) cannot exceed 80%.
Group sports and recreational activities / training (without or without contact) are limited to fully-vaccinated individuals and their children who are below 18 years of age, with supervision and limited to 50% capacity of the venue / area, or up to 250 persons at any one time, including the coach / instructor / parents, whichever is fewer.
Competitions or championships, with or without contact, are only allowed WITH PERMISSION from the Sports Commission Office (PPS).
Competitions or championships or mass sports events are only allowed WITH PERMISSION from PPS, limited to no more than 250 people at any one time for sports like triathlon, open water swimming, marathon, trail run, obstacle run and so on. Updated!
International competitions or championships using the Sports Bubble model are subject to KBS approval only.
Spectator / supporter presence at sports and recreational venues are limited to 30% of capacity or 10,000 people (whichever is lower), and limited to fully-vaccinated individuals and children. However, children under 18 are not allowed to enter if they are not fully-vaccinated. Updated!
The operation of both OUTDOOR and INDOOR sports and recreational facilities are subject to the rules of the local authorities / relevant authorities.
Entry of foreign athlete / coach / official / technical support into Malaysia is subject to the rules governing entry of foreigners into Malaysia.
Everyone must obey the National COVID-19 Testing Strategy guidelines. New!

Recreational Fishing

Recreational fishing, including in fishing ponds, is ALLOWED for fully-vaccinated individuals from 6 AM until 12 midnight.

Picnic + Camping

Picnic and camping are ALLOWED.
Fully vaccinated individuals are ALLOWED to bring children 18 years and younger for such activities, subject to strict SOP.

Tourism

Interstate tourism is ALLOWED for fully-vaccinated individuals.
Fully-vaccinated individuals are ALLOWED to undertake tourism activities, by showing their COVID-19 digital vaccination certificate or card when checking in.
Hotel and homestay operators must ensure that individuals who enter their premises prove that they are fully-vaccinated by showing their COVID-19 digital vaccination certificate or card.
Individuals who are fully-vaccinated are ALLOWED to bring their children who are 18 years or younger for tourism activities at the hotel and homestay.
Visits by prior appointment are ALLOWED for fully-vaccinated individuals to public cultural premises like museum, gallery, archive, handicraft centre, memorial, library and cultural complex, cultural village or center, cultural shows, up to 50% capacity.
Tourism centre / premise / product like zoo, farm, aquarium, snorkelling, scuba diving, fishing and jungle are allowed to operate on the condition that all operators and visitors / guests are fully-vaccinated.
Theme parks and family entertainment centres are allowed to operate with up to 50% capacity, on the condition that the operators, employees and customers are fully-vaccinated.
It is encouraged to undergo a COVID-19 screening test when conducting these activities. New!

Cruise Ships

Cruise ships are ALLOWED to operate at 50% capacity, on the condition that all crew members and passengers are fully-vaccinated.
Pub and night club activities onboard are FORBIDDEN.
Must obey the National COVID-19 Testing Strategy guidelines. New!

Manufacturing, Construction, Mining + Quarrying

For manufacturing, construction mining and quarrying companies that achieved these fully vaccinated rates :
a) 80% to 100% : Allowed to operate at 100% worker capacity
b) Less than 80% : Allowed to operate at 80% worker capacity
Workers must undergo RTK antigen tests every two weeks, at employer’s cost

Trade + Distribution

Only open to fully-vaccinated customers :
1. Photographic equipment and photography shop
2. Preloved (second hand) shop
3. Flower and nursery shop
4. Handicraft and souvenir shop
5. Antique shop
6. Games shop
7. Carpet shop
8. Creative content and equipment shop
9. Outdoor equipment (including camping, fishing and other equipment)
10. Cosmetics, skincare and perfume
11. Tobacco shop (including vape and electronic cigarette)
12. House and kitchen appliance shop
13. Furniture shop
14. Sporting goods shop
15. Car accessories shop
16. Car sales and distribution
17. Clothes, fashion and accessories shop
18. Jewellery shop
19. Barber shop
20. Beauty salon / center
21. House show room
Premise owners must ensure that customers who wish to enter MUST show their digital COVID-19 vaccination certificate or card, to prove that they are fully-vaccinated.
Fully-vaccinated individuals are ALLOWED to bring children who are 18 years old or younger to these premises.

Spa, Wellness + Massage Parlours

Spa, wellness and massage parlours are ALLOWED to operate, on the condition that both customers and operators are fully-vaccinated.
Employees and customers must be fully-vaccinated, not COVID-19 positive and not close contacts to positive cases, and not symptomatic.
Walk-in is not allowed. Only customers with prior appointments are allowed.
Employees must wear disposable gloves, face mask and face shield while at work.
Employees must replace their disposable gloves, liners for the bed or mattress or chair, and clean all equipment including face shield before attending to each customer.
The ventilation system must be maintained according to schedule.
MOTAC will monitor these conditions :
– spa operators must declare how many employees are fully-vaccinated to MOTAC before they are allowed to operate
– SOP Self-Compliance Program, especially ventilation within the premise.
– MOTAC will monitor compliance by conducting periodical spot checks
– COVID-19 screening test of symptomatic employees

Driving School

Driving schools are ALLOWED to operate, with the condition that all workers, teaching staff and candidates must be fully-vaccinated, with COVID-19 digital vaccination certificate or card as evidence.
Only employees who are fully-vaccinated and asymptomatic are allowed

Creative + Entertainment Industry

All creative industry practitioners who are fully-vaccinated are ALLOWED to resume these activities :
– development and broadcast of recorded or live-streamed creative content
– broadcast or livestream of information and entertainment with fully-vaccinated spectators up to 70% capacity of the studio space.
– in-studio or outdoor filming
– busking
– lounge hotel performances to fully-vaccinated guests
– live performances like theatre, musical, music and comedy (pre-registered) with fully-vaccinated attendees up to 70% of premise capacity.
Cinema activities are ALLOWED with fully-vaccinated workers and cinema goers, up to 80% of cinema capacity.
Must obey the National COVID-19 Testing Strategy guidelines. New!

Government + Private Official Events

Official events by the government or private sector, including inaugurations and so on, are allowed, subject to these conditions :
– Organisers and participants must be fully-vaccinated, not positive for COVID-19, not close contact to positive cases and not symptomatic.
– Individuals who have not been vaccinated must undergo pre-event testing using a (saliva) self-test kit before attending, witnessed by the organiser or a medical practitioner.
– Limited to 50% capacity of the event space.
– Only packed food is allowed to be provided.

MICE

Seminar, workshop, course, training and talk are allowed, subject to these conditions :
– Organisers and participants must be fully-vaccinated, not positive for COVID-19, not close contact to positive cases and not symptomatic.
– Individuals who have not been vaccinated must undergo pre-event testing using a (saliva) self-test kit before attending, witnessed by the organiser or a medical practitioner.
– Limited to 50% capacity of the event space.
– Only packed food is allowed to be provided.

Travel Restrictions In Phase 3 Areas

Interstate travel is only ALLOWED for FULLY-VACCINATED INDIVIDUALS.
Interstate travel is FORBIDDEN in Enhanced Movement Control Order (EMCO / PKPD) areas.
The area will be controlled by the police (PDRM), with help from ATM, APM and RELA.
Fully-vaccinated individuals are ALLOWED to travel in vehicles at full capacity. Individuals are allowed to bring children who are 18 years and below.
For those who are not fully-vaccinated :
– Only three (3) household representatives may leave to purchase food, medicine, dietary supplement and basic necessities.
– Up to three (3) people, including the patient, may leave to seek healthcare, medical care, screening test, vaccination, security or emergencies.
Taxis and e-hailing rides can travel at maximum capacity.
Vehicles carrying goods or involved in the economic chain or industry (including worker transportation) are allowed to travel at full capacity.
Official and government vehicles are allowed to travel at full capacity.
Airports, ports and logistic sector are ALLOWED to operate 24 hours.
Sea and land public transportation like bus, express bus, ferry are allowed to operate at full capacity.
Unloading of goods at premises, factories and ports are ALLOWED.
Disaster or humanitarian aid from NGO must obtain permission from the state or district Disaster Management Committee, and the aid must be channelled through the Disaster Operational Control Centre (PKOB) of the affected area.
Travel for Short Term Business Visitors under the One Stop Centre (OSC) initiative for official or business purposes are ALLOWED with police permission.

Civil Service

Subject to the current orders by the Secretary to the Government of Malaysia.
Civil service will operate in hybrid mode with this approach :
– Office attendance must not exceed 80% at any one time (except for frontliners, security, defence and enforcement), and 20% must work from home, in rotation.
– Counter services are subject to the current orders from the Secretary to the Government of Malaysia (KSN).
– Civil servants going to office must receive official attendance order and worker’s pass.

Private Sector

Employee interstate travel is limited to approved operations letter or worker’s pass or employer’s letter of authority.
Employee capacity for the private sector is limited to 80%.
All offices not listed under essential services are allowed to operate at these vaccination rates :
a) 80% to 100% : Allowed to operate at 100% worker capacity
b) Less than 80% : Allowed to operate at 80% worker capacity

Meetings

Face-to-face meeting are ALLOWED for fully-vaccinated individuals, limited to 50% of meeting room capacity.
Meetings must be conducted via video conferencing for individuals who are not fully-vaccinated.
It is encouraged to conduct meetings through video conferencing.
Critical interviews are ALLOWED either face-to-face or online.

Business Activities In Phase 3 Areas

Restaurants (including in hotel, sports and recreation club house), food shops, food stalls, food trucks, hawkers, food courts, hawker centres. food kiosks are ALLOWED to operate from 6 AM until 12 midnight.
Sale of food only allowed through takeaway, drive-through or delivery, except dine-in services for fully-vaccinated customers. Dine-in services for social events are FORBIDDEN.
Healthcare services like hospitals, clinics and medical laboratories are ALLOWED to operate 24 hours, or up to their licensed operating hours.
Petrol stations, including convenience stores inside petrol stations, can operate from 6 AM until 12 midnight, except for those on tolled highways which can operate 24 hours.
Rest and Recreation (R&R) operations in all highways are allowed to operate 24 hours.
All trade and distribution sectors are ALLOWED to operate from 6 AM until 12 midnight, or according to their business licence.

Daily and public markets are ALLOWED to open from 6 AM until 4 PM, subject to the local authorities, proper SOP and under RELA / PBT supervision.
Controlled Fresh Produce Market (PST) are ALLOWED to open from 7 AM until 2 PM.
Permanent Farm Market (PTK), MyFarm Outlet (MFO) and Local Farmer’s Association Complex (PPK) are ALLOWED to open from 6 AM until 6 PM.
Wholesale markets are ALLOWED to open according to their licensed time, subject to the full vaccination of all employees, complying with the SOP and under RELA / PBT supervision.
Farmer’s market and morning market are ALLOWED to open from 7 AM until 1 PM.
Night markets and weekend markets are ALLOWED to operate according to their licence / permit until 12 midnight, with SOP compliance and monitoring by the authorities including RELA / civil defence.
Customers who wish to enter night markets and weekend markets MUST show their COVID-19 digital vaccination certificate to prove that they are fully-vaccinated.
Agriculture, fisheries, livestock, plantation, commodity and logging, and their supply chains, are ALLOWED to operate.
Manufacturing and construction, and their supply chains, are ALLOWED to operate.
The operation of mines and quarries is ALLOWED, subject to the Mining and Quarrying SOP.

Education In Phase 3 Areas

All private educational institutes like tuition centres, language centres, skill centre, mind enrichment centre and other institutes registered under the Ministry of Education can conduct face-to-face classes at 50% capacity.
Reopening of schools under the Ministry of Education (KPM), or educational institutes registered with KPM for face-to-face learning are based on risk assessment and opinions of the Ministry of Health (KKM) and the National Security Council (MKN).
Primary School Reopening
a) Special needs students (MBK) in National Special Education Schools and Integrated Special Education Program can attend classes without rotation.
b) Preschool and private kindergarten students can attend classes without rotation.
c) all other students will continue with online classes.
Secondary School Reopening
a) Form 6 Semester 2, International Baccalaureate Diploma Program (IBDP) Year 2 and Pre-University Program Semester 3 students in Malaysia Sports School (SSM) can attend classes without rotation.
b) Special needs students (MBK) in National Special Education / Vocational Schools or PPKI can attend classes without rotation.
c) Pre-University Program students in SSM (Malaysia Sports School) and students preparing for public examinations like SPM, STAM, SVM, STPM in full boarding schools (SBP), full boarding National Religious Secondary School (SMKA) / Government-Assisted Religious School (SABK), Art School and Sports School can attend classes without rotation.
d) Students sitting for international IGCSE (International General Certificate for Secondary Education) O Level, A-Level and Australia Higher School Certificate and International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme can attend classes without rotation.
e) Students studying for other International exams can attend classes in rotation.
f) Students studying for public exams like SPM, STAM, SVM and STPM in day school / private school can attend classes in rotation.
g) all other students will continue with online classes.
Matriculation College
a) Students of two semester and four semester (Semester 3) systems can attend classes in college or online classes.
b) Semester 1 students of the four semester system must continue with online learning (PdPR).
Teachers College (IPG)
a) Online learning up to 6/7 November 2021 for PPISMP, PISMP and PDPP students. Face-to-face or hybrid learning at the IPG campus will begin on 7/8 November 2021.
b) Online learning will continue for PDPM and KDC students. Face-to-face or hybrid learning at the IPG campus will begin on 11/12 December 2021.
Students are allowed to travel inter-state to attend school or other education institute with a confirmation letter from the Ministry of Education, MARA or the relevant Ministry or Agency.
Students are allowed to be accompanied by a guardian / parent while travelling to and from their school or other education institute.
Teachers or lecturers who are involved in face-to-face classes are allowed to travel interstate, with confirmation letter from the Ministry of Education.
Students who need to travel from Peninsular Malaysia to Sabah, Sarawak or Labuan and vice versa must comply with existing quarantine rules.
Students are allowed to travel interstate to their hostels with confirmation letter from the Ministry of Education / MARA or any relevant Ministry or Agency.
Students staying in hostels must test themselves using the COVID-19 Self-Test Kit three times – before registering to enter, on the 6th day and on the 14th day in their hostel.
IPG students are encouraged to test themselves using the COVID-19 Self-Test Kit a day before returning to IPG, or undergo a swab test at a health facility and inform the IPG of the results.
Industrial training and skills training centres, including vocational college, TVET and so on are allowed to operate.
All schools and skill training institutes other than those under KPM, tahfiz centre and other educational institutes are subject to their relevant Ministry or Agency.
All institutes of higher learning will be open in stages to students who are fully-vaccinated.
All learning activities in institutes of higher learning – face-to-face, in groups – are allowed for fully-vaccinated students. Hybrid learning will be conducted for students on campus, while online learning will continue for students who are unable to return to campus.
International and professional exams, as well as research activities requiring lab access in tertiary education facilities are ALLOWED.
Students in boarding schools or universities are ALLOWED to continue hybrid studies.
Kindergartens and daycare centres under the Social Welfare Department (JKM) are allowed to operate.
Private and public kindergartens, kindergartens in private, international and expatriate schools and mind development centres are ALLOWED to operate for parents or guardians who are working.
Home care or rehabilitation centres of children, the disabled (OKU), senior citizens, women and other care facilities are allowed to operate, subject to the SOP.
Operators and employees of all kindergartens, daycare centres, home care or rehabilitation centres must be fully-vaccinated.
Kindergartens, childcare facilities, day care centres and similar care facilities must obey the National COVID-19 Testing Strategy guidelines. New!

Religion

Mosque and surau activities are allowed for fully-vaccinated individuals, subject to the State Religious Authority.
Islamic wedding ceremony (akad nikah) is ALLOWED, subject to the State Religious Authority.
Activities at non-Muslim houses of worship are ALLOWED, subject to the National Unity Ministry.
Non-Muslim marriage registrations are allowed at the National Registration Department (JPN), houses of worship and religious associations, subject to limits set by JPN.
Burial activities are allowed, subject to the State Religion Authority (Islam) or the National Unity Ministry (Non-Muslim).

Sports + Recreation (for partially-vaccinated / unvaccinated)

Individual sports and recreational activities without physical contact and physical distancing of 1-3 metres are allowed in OUTDOOR spaces, from 6 AM until 12 midnight.
Operations of all OUTDOOR sports and recreational facilities are subject to the local authorities.

National Recovery Plan Phase 3 SOP : NEGATIVE LIST

These activities are FORBIDDEN using the National Recovery Plan Recovery Phase 3 SOP.

Night club and pub activities
Social events like feasts, festivals, weddings, engagements, receptions, aqiqah ceremonies, tahlil, anniversaries, birthdays, reunions, retreats and other social events.
Local tourism involving foreign tourists entering Malaysia.
Sports and recreational activities exceeding the allowed capacity.
Championship / competition / sports or recreational event that do not have permission from PPS. Updated!
Any activity that involves many people gathering in one place until it is hard to maintain physical distancing, and compliance with the Director General of Health’s orders.
Any other matter that may be decided by the Government from time to time.

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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

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Fact Check : Timah Whiskey Brand Sold + Moving To China?

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Was the award-winning Timah whiskey brand sold to China, with its factory shifting to 100 acres of land?

Take a look at the new viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!

Claim : Timah Whiskey Brand Sold + Moving To China!

This message has gone viral on WhatsApp and Facebook, with people sharing it as evidence of the dysfunctional government in Malaysia shooting itself in its own foot… again.

Breaking News!

TIMAH sold to China and the whole factory will be shifting to China. And the China businessman is locating the factory in a 100 acres land!

💪💪💪👏👏👏👍👍👍

Taxation income for the govt. coffer fr. this company is now forever lost thanks to Malaysia’s holier than thou attitude.

The repurcussion is far greater. Foreigners will fight shy to invest in this country. At anytime d name of your product/co. can be interpreted by religious morons as provocative n you have to bend to their wishes by d stupid govt.

Truth : Timah Whiskey Brand NOT Sold / Moving To China!

The Timah whiskey brand has recently been under attack over its name in Malaysia, and it’s really bad for business confidence in Malaysia.

And while the viral message has a point about the Malaysian government’s holier than thou attitude, it is still FAKE NEWS!

And here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : Winepak Still Owns Timah Whiskey Brand

The Timah whiskey brand has NOT been sold to any company in China, and is still owned by the Winepak Corporation (M) Sdn Bhd.

Fact #2 : Winepak Is Considering A Name + Image Change

On 28 October 2021, the Malaysia Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Alexander Nanta Linggi announced that Winepak requested a week to discuss with their shareholders and board of directors on changing the name and image of their Timah whiskey.

Winepak would not need to do this if they actually sold the brand to a Chinese company.

Fact #3 : Moving To China Won’t Change Things

Winepak has also not announced any plan to move its factory to China, and there is no evidence any Chinese businessman will be allocating 100 acres of land for such a factory.

In any case, moving its factory to China will not change things, the Malaysian government is insisting that they change their name and image.

Even if they move the factory to China, they would still have to change the whiskey’s name and image.

Fact #4 : Timah Whiskey Production Does Not Require 100 Acres Of Land

According to Malt Review, Winepak blends the two imported peated malts, with a locally-distilled neutral cane spirit made from molasses, and ages the blend for at least three years to produce this whiskey.

In other words, Timah can be produced in a small facility, and does not require 100 acres (4.35 million square feet) of land, which is enough to build 15 to 20 condominiums!

Please Support My Work!

Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

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National Recovery Plan Phase 2 SOP : 11 October Edition!

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Here is the latest SOP for Phase 2 of the National Recovery Plan (PPN) for Malaysia!

Please SHARE this out, so your friends are updated on the latest Phase 2 SOP as well!

For Phase 1 SOP, please see PPN 1 SOP : 16 August 2021 Edition!
For Phase 3 SOP, please see PPN 3 SOP : 11 October Edition!
For Phase 4 SOP, please see PPN 4 SOP : 11 October Edition!

National Recovery Plan Phase 2 SOP : Where Does It Apply?

This Phase 2 SOP currently applies to Kelantan, Perak, Penang, Sabah and Kedah.

National Recovery Plan Phase 2 SOP : 24 September 2021 Video!

This video shows the latest National Recovery Plan SOP slides (24 September 2021) for Phase 2, followed by our English translation.

National Recovery Plan Phase 2 SOP : 11 October Update!

This is the latest National Recovery Plan Phase 2 SOP that was released on 11 October 2021.

General Health Protocol In Phase 2 Areas

Licence holders and premise owners must provide MySejahtera QR code and a manual logbook to register customers.
Hand sanitiser must be provided at the entrance, and customers must use it before entering.
The use of MySejahtera is mandatory is areas with good Internet connectivity. The use of logbook is only allowed in areas with no Internet connectivity, or other reasonable excuse.
Licence holders and premise owners must ensure that customers and workers check in using MySejahtera. or the manual logbook if there’s no Internet connectivity.
Employers, employees, customers and visitors are required to check in using MySejahtera or write their names and phone numbers legibly in the logbook (if there is no Internet connectivity).
In shopping malls, customers only need to scan their body temperatures ONCE at the mall entry point. It is not necessary to scan their body temperature at every premise in the mall.
Those with body temperatures exceeding 37.5 degrees Celsius are NOT ALLOWED to enter.
Malls and premise owners must ensure that only customers with Low Risk or Casual Contact Low Risk in MySejahtera are allowed to enter.
Licence holders and premise owners must ensure that customers must maintain physical distance of at least 1 metre entering or leaving their premises.
Individuals 18 years and below are not encouraged to be in public places and facilities.
Premise owners and business licence holders must restrict the number of customers within their premises to ensure at least 1 metre physical distancing.
Every premise must publicly display the limit of customers allowed inside at any one time. The use of a numbered queue system is encouraged to control the number of customers.
All building owners must provide QR Codes for each floor / level.
It is MANDATORY for employees, suppliers and customers to properly wear face masks while within the premise.
There must be good VENTILATION at the premise according to ventilation and indoor air quality guidelines issued by the Department of Occupational Safety and Health (JKKP). Updated!
It is MANDATORY to wear a face mask, especially in crowded public areas, EXCEPT in these places or situations :
a) hotel room or paid accommodation, alone or with your own family
b) Personal working space
c) Sporting activities and outdoor recreation
d) Personal vehicle, alone or with your own family
e) Indoor or outdoor public areas, when there are no other individuals
f) While eating or drinking in public areas, when there are no other individuals (except in restaurants or other food & beverage premises)

Benefits For Fully Vaccinated People In Phase 2 Areas

Inter-District + Interstate Travel

Inter-district and interstate travel is ALLOWED for fully-vaccinated individuals who must show their COVID-19 digital vaccination certificate or card, and identity card or passport as evidence.
Fully-vaccinated individuals are ALLOWED to bring children who are 17 years old or younger, while complying with general health protocols.

Overseas Travellers

Malaysian citizens or foreigners who have homes in Malaysia (including PR and Malaysia My Second Home participants) arriving from overseas, are ALLOWED to undergo mandatory quarantine at home if they are fully vaccinated, on accepting a digital Home Surveillance Order (HSO) subject to these conditions:
– Show proof of a valid negative RT-PCR test taken within 3 days of departure
– Have a valid and complete COVID-19 vaccination certificate (depending on the type of vaccine).
– Have no symptoms during the health screening conducted at the International entry point.
– Have suitable accommodations to undergo quarantine
Individuals who arrive from overseas and are not fully vaccinated, or have not been vaccinated, must undergo mandatory quarantine in a KKM-approved quarantine centre.
The mandatory quarantine for travellers from all countries is 14 days, and can be extended a further 7 days, based on the risk assessment on Day 14.
Travellers must conduct a self-assessment using the Home Assessment Tool (HAT) in the MySejahtera app, every day until the end of the quarantine period (14 or 21 days after arrival).
Travellers must undergo a COVID-19 RT-PCR screening test on arrival. The RT-PCR screening test for COVID-19 must be released on Day 10, or Day 18 (for travellers undergoing a 21-day quarantine).

Religion

Prayer activities at the mosque and surau for individuals who are fully vaccinated are ALLOWED, subject to the rules and SOP by the state religious authority.
Prayer activities at non-Muslim religious houses for individuals who are fully vaccinated are ALLOWED, subject to the rules and SOP by the Ministry of National Unity.

Dine-In

Restaurant operators, including hotels, sports and recreational club houses, food shops, food stalls, food trucks, roadside hawkers, food courts, food carts, and food kiosks are ALLOWED to offer dine-in services, subject to these conditions :
– only accept customers who are fully-vaccinated, and asymptomatic.
– premise owners MUST display a notice at the entrance stating that only fully-vaccinated customers who are asymptomatic are allowed in
– only workers who are fully-vaccinated and asymptomatic are allowed to work at these vaccination rates :
a) 40% : allowed to operate with 60% worker capacity
b) 60% : allowed to operate with 80% worker capacity
c) 80% : allowed to operate with 100% worker capacity
– premise owners must arrange the tables with physical distancing, and ensure the premise has good ventilation.
– dine-in is allowed with a maximum capacity of 50% per table, with physical distance of at least 1 metre.
Individuals who are fully-vaccinated are ALLOWED to bring their children who are 17 years or younger to dine-in.

Sports + Recreation

All OUTDOOR sports and recreational activities with physical contact are LIMITED to fully-vaccinated individuals, from 6 AM until 10 PM.
All OUTDOOR sports and recreational facilities are ALLOWED to operate for fully-vaccinated individuals and their children who are below 18 years old for activities involving contact, subject to strict SOP. Worker capacity (both management and operations) cannot exceed 60%.
All INDOOR sports and recreational activities, with or without physical contact, done individually or in groups, are LIMITED to those individuals who are fully vaccinated, from 6 AM to 10 PM.
All INDOOR sports and recreational facilities are ALLOWED to operate, but only open to fully-vaccinated individuals and their children who are below 18 years old, up to 50% capacity. Worker capacity (both management and operations) cannot exceed 60%.
The operation of both OUTDOOR and INDOOR sports and recreational facilities are subject to the rules of the local authorities / relevant authorities.
Competitions or championships are limited to the Ministry of Youth and Sports (KBS), Malaysian Football League – MFL) and those who received special permission from KBS.
Group sports and recreational activities / training (without or without contact) are limited to fully-vaccinated individuals and their children who below 18 years old, with supervision and limited to 50% capacity of the venue / area, or up to 50 persons at any one time, including the coach / instructor / parents, whichever is fewer.
Spectator / supporter presence at sports and recreational venues are limited to 20% of capacity or 5,000 people (whichever is lower), and limited to fully-vaccinated individuals who are 18 years or older only. Updated!

Recreational Fishing

Recreational fishing, including fishing pond, is ALLOWED for fully-vaccinated individuals, from 6 AM until 10 PM. Updated!

Picnic + Camping

Picnic and camping are ALLOWED. Updated!
Fully vaccinated individuals are ALLOWED to bring children 18 years and younger for such activities, subject to strict SOP.

Tourism

Interstate tourism is ALLOWED for fully-vaccinated individuals. Updated!
Fully-vaccinated individuals are ALLOWED to undertake tourism activities, by showing their COVID-19 digital vaccination certificate or card when checking in. Updated!
Hotel and homestay operators must ensure that individuals who enter their premises prove that they are fully-vaccinated by showing their COVID-19 digital vaccination certificate or card.
Individuals who are fully-vaccinated are ALLOWED to bring their children who are 18 years or younger for tourism activities at the hotel and homestay.
Visits by prior appointment are ALLOWED for fully-vaccinated individuals to public cultural premises like museum, gallery, archive, handicraft centre, memorial, library and cultural complex, cultural village or center, cultural shows, up to 50% capacity.
Tourism centre / premise / product like zoo, farm, aquarium, snorkelling, scuba diving, fishing and jungle are allowed to operate on the condition that all operators and visitors / guests are fully-vaccinated.

Cruise Ships

Cruise ships are ALLOWED to operate at 50% capacity, on the condition that all crew members and passengers are fully-vaccinated.
Pub and night club activities onboard are FORBIDDEN.

Manufacturing + Construction Sectors

Manufacturing and construction activities not listed in the Essential Manufacturing and Construction list are ALLOWED, according to these fully vaccinated rates :
a) 40% : Allowed to operate at 60% worker capacity
b) 60% : Allowed to operate at 80% worker capacity
c) 80% : Allowed to operate at 100% worker capacity
Workers must undergo RTK antigen tests every two weeks, at employer’s cost

Mining + Quarrying

For mining and quarrying companies that achieved these fully vaccinated rates :
a) 80% to 100% : Allowed to operate at 100% worker capacity
b) Less than 80% : Allowed to operate at 80% worker capacity
Workers must undergo RTK antigen tests every two weeks, at employer’s cost

Trade + Distribution

Only open to fully-vaccinated customers :
1. Photographic equipment and photography shop
2. Preloved (second hand) shop
3. Flower and nursery shop
4. Handicraft and souvenir shop
5. Antique shop
6. Games shop
7. Carpet shop
8. Creative content and equipment shop
9. Outdoor equipment (including camping, fishing and other equipment)
10. Cosmetics, skincare and perfume
11. Tobacco shop (including vape and electronic cigarette)
12. House and kitchen appliance shop
13. Furniture shop
14. Sporting goods shop
15. Car accessories shop
16. Car sales and distribution
17. Clothes, fashion and accessories shop
18. Jewellery shop
19. Barber shop
20. Beauty salon / center
21. House show room
Premise owners must ensure that customers who wish to enter MUST show their digital COVID-19 vaccination certificate or card, to prove that they are fully-vaccinated.
Fully-vaccinated individuals are ALLOWED to bring children who are 18 years old or younger to these premises.

Spa, Wellness + Massage Parlours

Spa, wellness and massage parlours are ALLOWED to operate, on the condition that both customers and operators are fully-vaccinated, from 1 October 2021 onwards.
Employees and customers must be fully-vaccinated, not COVID-19 positive and not close contacts to positive cases, and not symptomatic.
Walk-in is not allowed. Only customers with prior appointments are allowed.
Employees must wear disposable gloves, face mask and face shield while at work.
Employees must replace their disposable gloves, liners for the bed or mattress or chair, and clean all equipment including face shield before attending to each customer.
The ventilation system must be maintained according to schedule.
MOTAC will monitor these conditions :
– spa operators must declare how many employees are fully-vaccinated to MOTAC before they are allowed to operate
– SOP Self-Compliance Program, especially ventilation within the premise.
– MOTAC will monitor compliance by conducting periodical spot checks
– COVID-19 screening test of symptomatic employees

Night Market + Weekend Market

Only fully-vaccinated individuals are allowed to enter a night market or weekend market.
Night market and weekend market are allowed to operate, subject to customers proving that they are fully-vaccinated by showing their COVID-19 digital vaccination certificate or card.

Driving School

Driving schools are ALLOWED to operate, with the condition that all workers, teaching staff and candidates must be fully-vaccinated, with COVID-19 digital vaccination certificate or card as evidence.
Only employees who are fully-vaccinated and asymptomatic are allowed to work at these vaccination rates :
a) 40% : Allowed to operate at 60% worker capacity
b) 60% : Allowed to operate at 80% worker capacity
c) 80% : Allowed to operate at 100% worker capacity

Creative + Entertainment Industry

All creative industry practitioners who are fully-vaccinated are ALLOWED to resume these activities :
– development and broadcast of recorded or live-streamed creative content
– broadcast or livestream of information and entertainment with fully-vaccinated spectators up to 50% capacity of the studio space.
– in-studio or outdoor filming
– busking
– lounge hotel performances to fully-vaccinated guests
– live performances like theatre, musical, music and comedy (pre-registered) with fully-vaccinated attendees up to 50% of premise capacity.
– cinema activities are ALLOWED with fully-vaccinated workers and cinema goers, up to 50% of cinema capacity.

Government + Private Official Events

Official events by the government or private sector, including inaugurations and so on, are allowed, subject to these conditions :
– Organisers and participants must be fully-vaccinated, not positive for COVID-19, not close contact to positive cases and not symptomatic.
– Individuals who have not been vaccinated must undergo pre-event testing using a (saliva) self-test kit before attending, witnessed by the organiser or a medical practitioner.
– Limited to 50% capacity of the event space.
– Only packed food is allowed to be provided.

MICE

Seminar, workshop, course, training and talk are allowed, subject to these conditions :
– Organisers and participants must be fully-vaccinated, not positive for COVID-19, not close contact to positive cases and not symptomatic.
– Individuals who have not been vaccinated must undergo pre-event testing using a (saliva) self-test kit before attending, witnessed by the organiser or a medical practitioner.
– Limited to 50% capacity of the event space.
– Only packed food is allowed to be provided.

Travel Restrictions In Phase 2 Areas

Interstate travel is ALLOWED only for FULLY-VACCINATED INDIVIDUALS. New!
Interstate travel is FORBIDDEN in Enhanced Movement Control Order (EMCO / PKPD) areas. New!
The area will be controlled by the police (PDRM), with help from ATM, APM and RELA. Updated!
Fully-vaccinated individuals are ALLOWED to travel in vehicles at full capacity.
For those who are not fully-vaccinated :
– Only two (2) household representatives may leave to purchase food, medicine, dietary supplement and basic necessities.
– Up to three (3) people, including the patient, may leave to seek healthcare, medical care, screening test, vaccination, security or emergencies.
Taxis and e-hailing rides are limited to just TWO (2) people in the vehicle, including the driver, and the passenger must sit in the back.
Vehicles carrying goods or involved in the economic chain or industry (except worker transportation) is allowed to travel at full capacity.
Official and government vehicles are allowed to travel at full capacity.
Airports, ports and logistic sector are ALLOWED to operate 24 hours.
Public transportation (train, bus, LRT, MRT, ERL, monorail, taxi, ferry) are allowed to operate at full capacity.
Unloading of non-essential goods in factories is limited to delivery and receipt of goods or cargo in existing stockpiles for the purpose of import and export only with limited workers. Unloading of essential goods is not subject to these restrictions and can proceed as usual.
Disaster or humanitarian aid from NGO must obtain permission from the state or district Disaster Management Committee, and the aid must be channelled through the Disaster Operational Control Centre (PKOB) of the affected area.
Travel for Short Term Business Visitors under the One Stop Centre (OSC) initiative for official or business purposes are ALLOWED with police permission.

Civil Service

Subject to the current orders by the Secretary to the Government of Malaysia.
Civil service will operate in hybrid mode with this approach :
– Office attendance must not exceed 60% at any one time (except for frontliners, security, defence and enforcement), and 40% must work from home, in rotation.
– Counter services are subject to the current orders from the Secretary to the Government of Malaysia (KSN).
– Civil servants going to office must receive official attendance order and worker’s pass.

Private Sector

Approved essential services must have official approval from the relevant Ministry or Agency.
Employee travel is limited to approved operations letter or worker’s pass or employer’s letter of authority.
Employee capacity for the private sector (essential services) is limited to 80%, including both operations and management. Employee capacity can be increased to 100% when employee vaccination is 80% or higher.
All offices not listed under essential services are allowed to operate at these vaccination rates :
a) 40% : Allowed to operate at 60% worker capacity
b) 60% : Allowed to operate at 80% worker capacity
c) 80% : Allowed to operate at 100% worker capacity

MICE

Face-to-face meeting are ALLOWED for fully-vaccinated individuals, limited to 50% of meeting room capacity.
Meetings must be conducted via video conferencing for individuals who are not fully-vaccinated.
It is encouraged to conduct meetings through video conferencing.
Critical interviews are ALLOWED either face-to-face or online.

Business Activities In Phase 2 Areas

Restaurants, food shops, food stalls, food trucks, hawkers, food courts, hawker centres. food kiosks are ALLOWED to operate from 6 AM until 12 midnight.
Sale of food only allowed through takeaway, drive-through or delivery, except dine-in services for fully-vaccinated customers. Dine-in services for social events are FORBIDDEN.
Park & dine services are FORBIDDEN.
Grocers, convenience stores and mini marts are ALLOWED to operate from 6 AM until 12 midnight.
Pharmacies and self-care stores are ALLOWED to operate from 6 AM until 10 PM.
Hardware stores, vehicle workshops, childcare stores and religious stores are ALLOWED to operate from 6 AM until 10 PM.
Healthcare services like hospitals, clinics and medical laboratories are ALLOWED to operate 24 hours, or up to their licensed operating hours.
Petrol stations can operate from 6 AM until 12 midnight, except for those on tolled highways which can operate 24 hours.
Supermarkets, shopping malls, and departmental stores allowed to operate from 6 AM until 10 PM.
Bookstores and stationery, computer, telecommunications, and electrical shops are ALLOWED to open from 6 AM until 10 PM.
Barber, hair saloon and beauty saloons are ALLOWED to open from 6 AM until 10 PM.
Veterinarian clinics and pet food stores are ALLOWED to open from 6 AM until 10 PM.
Laundry services, car wash and optical stores are allowed to operate from 6 AM until 10 PM. Self-service laundromats must ensure an employee is present on-premise.

Daily and public markets are ALLOWED to open from 6 AM until 4 PM, subject to the local authorities, proper SOP and under RELA / PBT supervision.
Controlled Fresh Produce Market (PST) are ALLOWED to open from 7 AM until 2 PM.
Permanent Farm Market (PTK), MyFarm Outlet (MFO) and Local Farmer’s Association Complex (PPK) are ALLOWED to open from 6 AM until 4 PM.
Wholesale markets are ALLOWED to open according to their licensed time, subject to the full vaccination of all employees, complying with the SOP and under RELA / PBT supervision. Updated!
Farmer’s market and morning market are ALLOWED to open from 7 AM until 11 AM, limited to main commodities determined by the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industries (MAFI).
Night market and weekend market are ALLOWED to operate, subject to SOP and monitoring by RELA or local authorities.
Only fully-vaccinated people may enter a night market or weekend market, by showing their COVID-19 digital vaccination certificate or card.
The operation of mines and quarries is ALLOWED, subject to the Mining and Quarrying SOP.
Fishing for livelihood is ALLOWED.

Education In Phase 2 Areas

Reopening of schools under the Ministry of Education (KPM), or educational institutes registered with KPM for face-to-face learning are based on risk assessment and opinions of the Ministry of Health (KKM) and the National Security Council (MKN).
Primary School Reopening
a) Special needs students (MBK) in National Special Education Schools and Integrated Special Education Program can attend classes without rotation.
b) all other students will continue with online classes.
Secondary School Reopening
a) Form 6 Semester 2, International Baccalaureate Diploma Program (IBDP) Year 2 and Pre-University Program Semester 3 students in Malaysia Sports School (SSM) can attend classes without rotation.
b) Special needs students (MBK) in National Special Education / Vocational Schools or PPKI can attend classes without rotation.
c) Students sitting for international IGCSE (International General Certificate for Secondary Education) O Level, A-Level and Australia Higher School Certificate and International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme can attend classes without rotation.
d) all other students will continue with online classes.
Students are allowed to travel inter-state to attend school or other education institute with a confirmation letter from the Ministry of Education.
Students are allowed to be accompanied by a guardian / parent while travelling to and from their school or other education institute.
Teachers or lecturers who are involved in face-to-face classes are allowed to travel interstate, with confirmation letter from the Ministry of Education.
Students who need to travel from Peninsular Malaysia to Sabah, Sarawak or Labuan and vice versa must comply with existing quarantine rules.
Students are allowed to travel interstate to their hostels with confirmation letter from the Ministry of Education.
Students staying in hostels must test themselves using the COVID-19 Self-Test Kit three times – before registering to enter, on the 6th day and on the 14th day in their hostel.
Industrial training and skills training centres, including vocational college, TVET and so on are allowed to operate starting 15 October 2021.
All schools and skill training institutes other than those under KPM, tahfiz centre and other educational institutes are subject to their relevant Ministry or Agency.
All institutes of higher learning will be open in stages to students who are fully-vaccinated.
All learning activities in institutes of higher learning – face-to-face, in groups – are allowed for fully-vaccinated students. Hybrid learning will be conducted for students on campus, while online learning will continue for students who are unable to return to campus.
International and professional exams, as well as research activities requiring lab access in tertiary education facilities are ALLOWED.
Students in boarding schools or universities are ALLOWED to continue hybrid studies.
Private and public kindergartens, kindergartens in private, international and expatriate schools and mind development centres are ALLOWED to operate for parents or guardians who are working. Their operators and employees must be fully-vaccinated.
Home care or rehabilitation centres of children, the disabled (OKU), senior citizens, women and other care facilities are allowed to operate, subject to the SOP.
Parents or guardians sending their children to childcare centres are allowed to transport them at full vehicle capacity.

Religion

Prayer activities are ALLOWED for individuals who are fully-vaccinated, subject to the rules and SOP of the state Islamic religious authority.
Islamic wedding ceremony (akad nikah) is ALLOWED only in the Islamic Religious Office / Department with the attendance capacity set by the State Religious Authority.
Prayer activities are ALLOWED for individuals who are fully-vaccinated, subject to the rules and SOP of the Ministry of National Unity (KPN).
Non-Muslim marriage registrations are allowed at the National Registration Department (JPN), houses of worship and religious associations, subject to limits set by JPN.
Burial activities are allowed according to limits set by the State Religion Authority (Islam) or the National Unity Ministry (Non-Muslim).

Sports + Recreation (for partially-vaccinated / unvaccinated)

Individual sports and recreational activities without physical contact and physical distancing of 1-3 metres are allowed in OUTDOOR spaces, from 6 AM until 10 PM.
All OUTDOOR sports and recreational facilities are ALLOWED to open, with supervision and up to 60% worker capacity (both management and operations).
Operations of all OUTDOOR sports and recreational facilities are subject to the local authorities.
Athlete / coach / official / technical support participation in overseas championships or competitions or matches are subject to the approval of the Immigration Department. Updated!
Picnics and camping are FORBIDDEN for individuals who are not fully vaccinated.

National Recovery Plan Phase 2 SOP : Essential Services

Essential Services Allowed To Operate In Phase 2 Areas

Food and beverages, including for animals
Healthcare and medical services, including dietary supplements, veterinarian services, etc.
Water supply
Energy supply
Security and safety, defence, emergency, social and humanitarian services
Waste disposal and public sanitisation and sewerage
Land, water and air transportation
Port, shipyard, airport services and operations, including loading, unloading, cargo handling and piloting, storage or transportation of commodities
Communications including media, telecommunications and Internet, post and courier, as well as broadcasting (for the purpose of conveying information, news and the like.
Banking, insurance, takaful and capital markets (60% capacity)
Community credit and pawn shops
E-commerce and information technology
Production, distillation, storage, supply and distribution of fuels and lubricants
Hotels and accommodation (only for quarantine purposes, segregation, employment for essential services and not for tourism).
Construction
Forestry services (limited to enforcement) and wildlife
Legislative and judiciary.
Lawyers and commissioners of oaths
Accounting services
Professional services and consultants (subject to the Professional Body’s regulatory authority)
Logistics limited to delivery of essential services

Essential Services According To Sector In Phase 2 Areas

All industries are FORBIDDEN, except for the following sectors :

Manufacturing

Aerospace (components and maintenance, repair and overhaul – MRO)
Food and beverage
Packaging and printing materials, only related to essential services
Personal care and cleaning products
Healthcare and medical medicine
Personal care items, personal protective equipment (PPE), including rubber gloves and fire safety equipment
Components for medical devices.
Electrical and electronics of global economic chain importance
Oil and gas, including petrochemicals and petrochemical products
Machinery and equipment
Textiles for PPE production only
Production, distillation, storage, supply and distribution of fuels and lubricants
Automotive (vehicles and components)
Ceramics
Cement
Rubber
Iron and steel
Furniture factory

Agriculture, Fisheries, Livestock, Plantation and Commodities

Agriculture, fisheries and livestock and their supply chains
Plantation and commodities including their supply chain (oil palm, rubber, pepper, cocoa, lumber, kenaf, biodiesel and agricommodity certification)
Logging activity is subject to the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources (KeTSA).

Construction

Maintenance and repair works
Public infrastructure construction works
Construction works that provide approved employee accommodation at construction sites.
Construction works that house workers in approved Centralised Workers Quarters (CLQ).
Construction works of small projects carried out by G1, G2, G3 and G4 contractors.
Renovation of personal homes or commercial buildings.
Land investigation work.
Construction of Government Funded Project.
Professionals / consultants involved in permitted construction works
Services in the supply chain for permitted construction works
Site preparation work, like surveying work, earthworks, marking and clearing of site
Road and highway construction work

Trade + Distribution (Without Vaccination)

Shopping malls INCLUDING supermarkets, hypermarkets, departmental stores and all listed essential services.
Supermarkets and hypermarkets
Departmental stores
Pharmacies, self-care stores, convenience stores and mini marts.
Restaurants
Laundry services, including self-service laundromats
Pet care and pet food stores
Eyewear and optical goods stores
Hardware stores
E-commerce – all product categories
Wholesale and distribution – for all essential products only
Bookstores and stationery shops
Computer and telecommunications
Electrical goods shops
Carwashes
Vehicle workshops, maintenance and spare parts
Other specialty retail store (petrol stations)

Trade + Distribution (For Fully-Vaccinated)

Photographic equipment and photography shop
Preloved (second hand) shop
Flower and nursery shop
Handicraft and souvenir shop
Antique shop
Games shop
Carpet shop
Creative content and equipment shop
Outdoor equipment (including camping, fishing and other equipment)
Cosmetics, skincare and perfume
Tobacco shop (including vape and electronic cigarette)
House and kitchen appliance shop
Furniture shop
Sporting goods shop
Car accessories shop
Car sales and distribution
Clothes, fashion and accessories shop
Jewellery shop
Barber shop
Beauty center or salon
House show room

National Recovery Plan Phase 2 SOP : NEGATIVE LIST

These activities are FORBIDDEN using the National Recovery Plan Recovery Phase 2 SOP.

Cybercafes and cybercenters
Feasts, festivals, weddings, engagements, receptions, aqiqah ceremonies, tahlil, anniversaries, birthdays, reunions, retreats and other social events.
All MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions) events that are face-to-face.
Theme parks, family entertainment centres, indoor playgrounds, karaoke, including family karaoke.
Interstate and inter-district tourism by individuals who are not fully-vaccinated. Updated!
Local tourism involving foreign tourists entering Malaysia.
Sports and recreational activities exceeding the allowed capacity.
Sports and recreational activities and operations that exceed the allowed time, except for those sponsored by Ministry of Youth and Sports (KBS), Malaysian Football League (MFL) and with special KBS permission only.
All championships, competitions, and matches, EXCEPT those organised by the KBS, MFL and with special KBS permission only.
Night club or pub activities
Any activity that involves many people gathering in one place until it is hard to maintain physical distancing, and compliance with the Director General of Health’s orders.
Any other matter that may be decided by the Government from time to time.

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National Recovery Plan Phase 1 SOP : 25 August 2021 Edition

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Here is the latest SOP for Phase 1 of the National Recovery Plan (PPN) for Malaysia!

Please SHARE this out, so your friends are updated on the latest Phase 1 SOP as well!

For Phase 2 SOP, please see National Recovery Phase 2 SOP : 16 August 2021 Edition!
For Phase 3 SOP, please see National Recovery Phase 3 SOP : 4 August 2021 Edition!

National Recovery Plan Phase 1 SOP : Where Does It Apply?

This Phase 1 SOP currently applies to Kedah, Selangor, Melaka, Johor, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya.

National Recovery Plan Phase 1 SOP : 25 August 2021 Video!

This video shows the National Recovery Plan SOP slides (25 August 2021) for Phase 1, followed by our English translation.

NRP Recovery Plan Phase 1 SOP : 25 August 2021 Update!

This is the latest National Recovery Plan Phase 1 SOP that was released on 25 August 2021.

General Health Protocol

Licence holders and premise owners must provide MySejahtera QR code and a manual logbook to register customers.
Hand sanitiser must be provided at the entrance, and customers must use it before entering.
The use of MySejahtera is mandatory is areas with good Internet connectivity. The use of logbook is only allowed in areas with no Internet connectivity, or other reasonable excuse.
Licence holders and premise owners must ensure that customers and workers check in using MySejahtera. or the manual logbook if there’s no Internet connectivity.
Employers, employees, customers and visitors are required to check in using MySejahtera or write their names and phone numbers legibly in the logbook (if there is no Internet connectivity).
In shopping malls, customers only need to scan their body temperatures ONCE at the mall entry point. It is not necessary to scan their body temperature at every premise in the mall.
Those with body temperatures exceeding 37.5 degrees Celsius are NOT ALLOWED to enter.
Malls and premise owners must ensure that only customers with Low Risk or Casual Contact Low Risk in MySejahtera are allowed to enter.
Licence holders and premise owners must ensure that customers must maintain physical distance of at least 1 metre entering or leaving their premises.
Children 17 years or younger are discouraged from being in public places and facilities. Updated!
Premise owners and business licence holders must restrict the number of customers within their premises to ensure at least 1 metre physical distancing.
Every premise must publicly display the limit of customers allowed inside at any one time. The use of a numbered queue system is encouraged to control the number of customers.
All building owners must provide QR Codes for each floor / level.
It is MANDATORY for employees, suppliers and customers to properly wear face masks while within the premise.
There must be good ventilation and aeration at the premise.
It is MANDATORY to wear a face mask, especially in crowded public areas, EXCEPT in these places or situations :
a) hotel room or paid accommodation, alone or with your own family
b) Personal working space
c) Sporting activities and outdoor recreation
d) Personal vehicle, alone or with your own family
e) Indoor or outdoor public areas, when there are no other individuals
f) While eating or drinking in public areas, when there are no other individuals (except in restaurants or other food & beverage premises)

Benefits For Fully Vaccinated People In Phase 1 Areas

Couples In Long Distance Relationship

Couples in long distance relationships are ALLOWED to travel inter-state or inter-district to meet each other, on the condition that they must both be fully vaccinated, and have been verified by PDRM with these documents:
– Copy of identification card of both husband and wife
– Copy of marriage card / certificate
– Copy of COVID-19 Digital Vaccination Certificate for both husband and wife
– Copy of proof of residence of either husband / wife, or confirmation letter from employer
The PDRM permission letter must be shown to pass through roadblocks.

Parents With Children Younger Than 18 Years Old Living Apart

Parents or guardians who have children under the age of 18 years living in a different state or district, are ALLOWED to travel. to meet them, on the condition both parents are fully vaccinated, and have been verified by PDRM with these documents:
– Copy of identification card of parents and child’s birth certificate
– Copy of COVID-19 Digital Vaccination Certificate for both parents
– Child’s schooling information (if relevant, e.g. boarding school)
The PDRM permission letter must be shown to pass through roadblocks.

Overseas Travellers

Malaysian citizens or foreigners who have homes in Malaysia (including PR and Malaysia My Second Home participants) arriving from overseas, are ALLOWED to undergo mandatory quarantine at home if they are fully vaccinated, and given a digital Home Surveillance Order (HSO) subject to these conditions:
– Show proof of a valid negative RT-PCR test taken within 3 days of departure
– Have a valid and complete COVID-19 vaccination certificate (depending on the type of vaccine).
– Have no symptoms during the health screening conducted at the International entry point.
– Have suitable accommodations to undergo quarantine
Individuals who arrive from overseas and are not fully vaccinated, or have not been vaccinated, must undergo mandatory quarantine in a KKM-approved quarantine centre.
The mandatory quarantine for travellers from all countries is 14 days, and can be extended a further 7 days, based on the risk assessment on Day 14.
Travellers must conduct self-evaluation every day using the Home Assessment Tool (HAT) in MySejahtera, until the end of the quarantine period (either 14 or 21 days). New!
Travellers must undergo RT-PCR screening for COVID-19 on arrival in Malaysia. The RT-PCR tests must be repeated on Day 10 or day 18 (for those quarantined for 21 days). New!

Religion

Prayer activities at the mosque and surau for individuals who are fully vaccinated are ALLOWED, subject to the rules and SOP by the state religious authority.
Prayer activities at non-Muslim religious houses for individuals who are fully vaccinated are ALLOWED, subject to the rules and SOP by the Ministry of National Unity.

Manufacturing + Construction Sectors

For manufacturing and construction activities not listed in the Essential Services list, companies that achieved these fully vaccinated rates are allowed to operate : Updated!
a) 40% : Allowed to operate at 60% worker capacity
b) 60% : Allowed to operate at 80% worker capacity
c) 80% : Allowed to operate at 100% worker capacity
Workers must undergo RTK antigen tests every two weeks, at employer’s cost

Mining + Quarrying

For mining and quarrying companies that achieved these fully vaccinated rates :
a) Less than 60% : Allowed to operate at 60% worker capacity New!
b) 60% : Allowed to operate at 80% worker capacity
c) 80% : Allowed to operate at 100% worker capacity
Workers must undergo RTK antigen tests every two weeks, at employer’s cost

Trade + Distribution

These businesses must only accept fully-vaccinated customers :
1. Car wash
2. Electric and electronic shop
3. House and kitchen appliance shop
4. Furniture shop
5. Sporting goods shop
6. Car accessories shop
7. Car sales and distribution
8. Clothes, fashion and accessories shop
9. Jewellery shop
10. Barber and hair / beauty saloons (basic hair-cutting services only)
Premise owners must ensure that customers who wish to enter MUST show their digital COVID-19 vaccination certificate or card, to prove that they are fully-vaccinated.
Parents who are fully-vaccinated can bring their children 17 years or younger to these premises, in compliance with the general health protocol.

Market

Morning market, farmer’s market, night market and weekend market can only accept fully-vaccinated customers. New!
Customers must prove that they are fully-vaccinated by showing their COVID-19 digital vaccination certificate or card. New!

Dine-In

Restaurant operators, including hotels, sports and recreational club houses, food shops, food stalls, food trucks, roadside hawkers, food courts, food carts, and food kiosks are ALLOWED to offer dine-in services, subject to these conditions :
– only accept customers who are fully-vaccinated, and asymptomatic
– premise owners must display a notice stating that only customers who are fully-vaccinated and asymptomatic are allowed in
– workers who are fully-vaccinated and asymptomatic are allowed to work at these capacities :
a) 40% : up to 60% worker capacity
b) 60% : up to 80% worker capacity
c) 80% : up to 100% worker capacity
– premise owners must arrange the tables with physical distancing, and ensure the premise has good ventilation.
– dine-in is allowed with a maximum capacity of 50% per table, with physical distance of at least 1 metre.
Parents who are fully-vaccinated are ALLOWED to bring their children who are 17 years or younger to dine-in.

Sports + Recreation

The use of sports and recreational premises and facilities is RESTRICTED to only fully-vaccinated individuals, for all individual activities with physical distance of 2-3 metres from 6 AM until 8 PM, within the same district.
Permitted activities include swimming, equestrian sports, shooting, tennis / badminton (single), golf, motorsports and so on.
Operation of all commercial sports and recreational facilities (outdoor and semi-open), including swimming pool or water sports premises, subject to 60% capacity limit with supervision. Workforce is limited to 60%, including both management and operations. These facilities are limited to fully-vaccinated people, who are allowed to bring children 17 years or younger for the same activities, subject to strict SOP compliance.
Operation of all commercial sports and recreational facilities (outdoor and semi-open), including swimming pool or water sports premises are subject to local authorities.
Dine-in at the club house restaurant or cafe is ALLOWED.
Changing room and shower room at the club house are FORBIDDEN.

Picnics + Camping

Picnic and camping activities are ALLOWED in the same district.
Individuals who are fully-vaccinated are ALLOWED to bring their children who are 17 years or younger for picnic or camping, subject to strict SOP compliance.

Travel Restrictions In Phase 1 Areas

Interstate and inter-district travel (based on district borders determined by state governments) is FORBIDDEN, except for long-distance couples, children in other states / districts, or individuals who have been given PDRM or KKM permission.
All entry and exit into MCO areas will be closed and controlled by the police (PDRM).
Fully-vaccinated individuals are ALLOWED to travel at maximum vehicle capacity. New!
For those who are not fully-vaccinated :
a) Only two (2) household representatives may leave to purchase food, medicine, dietary supplement and basic necessities. Updated!
b) Up to three (3) people, including the patient, may leave to seek healthcare, medical care, screening test, vaccination, security or emergencies. Updated!
Taxis and e-hailing rides are limited to just TWO (2) people in the vehicle, including the driver, and the passenger must sit in the back.
Vehicles carrying goods or involved in the economic chain or industry (except worker transportation) is allowed to travel at full capacity.
Official and government vehicles are allowed to travel at full capacity.
Airports, ports and logistic sector are ALLOWED to operate 24 hours.
Unloading of non-essential goods in factories is limited to delivery and receipt of goods or cargo in existing stockpiles for the purpose of import and export only with limited workers. Unloading time is only allowed from 8 AM until 8 PM on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
Unloading of essential goods is not subject to these restrictions and can proceed as usual.
Public transportation (train, bus, LRT, MRT, ERL, monorail, taxi, ferry, e-hailing ride) are allowed to operate at 50% capacity.
Travel for funerals and natural disasters are ALLOWED, with police permission.
Disaster or humanitarian aid from NGO must obtain permission from the state or district Disaster Management Committee, and the aid must be channelled through the Disaster Operational Control Centre (PKOB) of the affected area.
Interstate and inter-district travel for the purpose of going for vaccination is ALLOWED by showing the appointment in MySejahtera, website or SMS.
Members of Parliament or State Legislators are ALLOWED to travel interstate or inter-district to visit their constituencies without conducting any events.
Travel for Short Term Business Visitors under the One Stop Centre (OSC) initiative for official or business purposes are ALLOWED with police permission.

Civil Service

Must work from home (WFH) completely, except for frontliners, security, defence and enforcement.
Office attendance for essential services in the civil service must not exceed 40% at any one time, and must emphasise work that cannot be performed at home, like payment, maintenance, security, technical management, online meetings and ministerial documentation.
Government counter service will operate physically from 1 July 2021 onwards, involving :
– services that cannot be conducted online
– counter service capacity must not exceed 50%
– people are only allowed to be admitted with scheduled appointments
Civil servants going to office must receive official attendance order and worker’s pass.

Private Sector

Approved essential services in the private sector must have official approval from 1 June 2021 onwards.
Employee travel is limited to approved operations letter or worker’s pass or employer’s letter of authority.
Employee capacity for the private sector (essential services only) is limited to 60%, including both operations and management.

MICE

Meetings must be conducted via video conferencing.
Seminars, workshops, courses, training and talks are FORBIDDEN, except in-service training through Camp-Based Training.
Seminars, workshops, courses, training and talks conducted online are ALLOWED.
Critical interviews are ALLOWED either face-to-face or online.

Business Activities In Phase 1 Areas

Restaurants, food shops, food stalls, food trucks, hawkers, food courts, hawker centres. food kiosks are ALLOWED to operate from 6 AM until 10 PM.
Food and beverage sales are only allowed for takeaway, drive-through or delivery, EXCEPT dine-in for fully vaccinated people. New!
Park & dine is FORBIDDEN. Updated!
Grocers, convenience stores, self-care stores and mini-marts are ALLOWED to operate from 8 AM until 8 PM.
Hardware stores, vehicle workshops, childcare stores and religious stores are ALLOWED to operate from 8 AM until 8 PM.
Healthcare services like hospitals, clinics and medical laboratories are ALLOWED to operate 24 hours, or up to their licensed operating hours.
Pharmacies can operate from 8 AM until 8 PM.
Petrol stations can operate from 6 AM until 8 PM, except for those on tolled highways which can operate 24 hours.

Supermarkets, shopping malls and departmental stores can open from 8 AM until 8 PM.
Bookstores, stationery, computer and telecommunications shops are ALLOWED to open from 8 AM until 8 PM.
Veterinarian clinics and pet food stores are ALLOWED to open from 8 AM until 8 PM.
Laundry services and optical stores are allowed to operate from 8 AM until 8 PM. Self-service laundromats must ensure an employee is present on-premise.
Daily and public markets are ALLOWED to open from 6 AM until 4 PM, subject to the local authorities, proper SOP and under RELA / PBT supervision.
Controlled Fresh Produce Market (PST) are ALLOWED to open from 7 AM until 2 PM.
Permanent Farm Market (PTK), MyFarm Outlet (MFO) and Local Farmer’s Association Complex (PPK) are ALLOWED to open from 6 AM until 4 PM.
Wholesale markets are ALLOWED to open from 12:01 AM until 6 AM, and from 11 AM until 4 PM, subject to the local authorities, proper SOP and under RELA / PBT supervision.
Morning market and farmer’s market are ALLOWED to open from 7 AM until 11 AM, subject to proper SOP and under RELA / PBT supervision. Updated!
Night markets and weekend markets are ALLOWED to open, subject to the local authorities, proper SOP and under RELA / PBT supervision. New!
Customers to morning markets, farmer’s markets, night markets or weekend markets must show their COVID-19 digital vaccination certificate or card to prove that they are fully vaccinated. Updated!
Fishing for livelihood is ALLOWED.
All other activities not mentioned in the SOP are FORBIDDEN.

Mining + Quarrying

Supply of minerals, rock material and cement only from existing stockpiles as well as transportation from the mine or quarry to the premise or site of major public infrastructure construction or building construction permitted by this SOP.
Supply of cement and its logistics to premises or construction sites of public infrastructure or building construction permitted by this SOP are ALLOWED. Updated!
The operation and maintenance of mines and quarries is ALLOWED, subject to the Mining and Quarrying SOP.

Education

All public and private institutes of tertiary education, tahfiz centres and other educational institutes must CLOSE.
Tertiary education will continue ONLINE.
All public and private schools and education institutes, tuition centres, language centres, skill centres, counselling centres, etc. must CLOSE.
Only international exams at international and expatriate schools are allowed.
All face-to-face learning are FORBIDDEN, except for tertiary education students who require them.
International and professional exams, as well as research activities requiring lab access in tertiary education facilities are ALLOWED.
Students in boarding schools or universities are ALLOWED to continue using hybrid studies.
Private and public kindergartens, kindergartens in private, international and expatriate schools and mind development centres for children 4 to 6 years old are FORBIDDEN to operate, unless both parents are frontliners or working in essential services.
Home care or rehabilitation centres of children, the disabled (OKU), senior citizens, women and other care facilities are ALLOWED to operate, subject to the SOP.
Parents or guardians sending their children to childcare centres are allowed to transport them at full vehicle capacity. New!

Religion

Prayer activities are ALLOWED for individuals who are fully-vaccinated, subject to the rules and SOP of the state Islamic religious authority.
Islamic wedding ceremony (akad nikah) is ALLOWED only in the Islamic Religious Office / Department with the attendance capacity set by the State Religious Authority.
Prayer activities are ALLOWED for individuals who are fully-vaccinated, subject to the rules and SOP of the Ministry of National Unity (KPN).
Non-Muslim marriage registrations are allowed at the National Registration Department (JPN), houses of worship and religious associations, subject to limits set by JPN.
Burial activities are allowed according to limits set by the State Religion Authority (Islam) or the National Unity Ministry (Non-Muslim).

Sports + Recreation

Individual sports and recreational activities without physical contact in open spaces are LIMITED to jogging, cycling, individual games and exercise (like skateboarding, inline skating and so on), without involving sports or recreational facilities, with physical distancing of 2-3 metres within the neighbourhood, from 7 AM until 8 PM.
The operation of open public parks are subject to the local authorities. New!
The operation of all indoor sports and recreational facilities is LIMITED to critical management duties (finance, maintenance and so on), up to 30% of worker capacity including management and operations. New!
Centralised training programs, including closed quarantined competitions using Camp Based Training are ALLOWED.
Centralised training programs with quarantine by State Sports Councils using Camp Based Training are ALLOWED.
Centralised training programs including quarantined training competitions for teams in the Malaysian Football League (MFL) using Camp Based Training are ALLOWED.
Malaysian Football League matches are ALLOWED based on the closed Sports Bubble model, without spectators or supporters.
Picnic and camping activity for individuals who are not fully vaccinated is FORBIDDEN. New!

Creative Industry

Development and broadcasting of creative content through recording or live broadcasts including animation, filming, drama, promotions, sitcoms and the like, including dance, art activities theatre, musical arts, cultural and heritage performances as well as the music are FORBIDDEN, except for individual discussions and live-streaming.
Recording and live broadcasts of programmes to convey information (other than entertainment) like news, forum, interviews are ALLOWED.

NRP Recovery Plan Phase 1 SOP : Essential Services

Essential Services Allowed To Operate In Phase 1 Areas

Food and beverages, including for animals
Healthcare and medical services, including dietary supplements, veterinarian services, etc.
Water supply
Energy supply
Security and safety, defence, emergency, social and humanitarian services
Waste disposal and public sanitisation and sewerage
Land, water and air transportation
Port, shipyard, airport services and operations, including loading, unloading, cargo handling and piloting, storage or transportation of commodities
Communications including media, telecommunications and Internet, post and courier, as well as broadcasting (for the purpose of conveying information, news and the like.
Banking, insurance, takaful and capital markets (60% capacity)
Community credit and pawn shops
E-commerce and information technology
Production, distillation, storage, supply and distribution of fuels and lubricants
Hotels and accommodation (only for quarantine purposes, segregation, employment for essential services and not for tourism).
Critical construction, maintenance and repair
Forestry services (limited to enforcement) and wildlife
Legislative and judiciary.
Lawyers and commissioners of oaths
Accounting services
Professional services and consultants (subject to the Professional Body’s regulatory authority)
Logistics limited to delivery of essential services

Essential Services According To Sector

All industries are FORBIDDEN, except for the following sectors :

Manufacturing (60% employee capacity)

Aerospace (components and maintenance, repair and overhaul – MRO)
Food and beverage
Packaging and printing materials, only related to food and health
Personal care and cleaning products
Healthcare and medical medicine
Personal care items, personal protective equipment (PPE), including rubber gloves and fire safety equipment
Components for medical devices.
Electrical and electronics of global economic chain importance
Oil and gas, including petrochemicals and petrochemical products
Machinery and equipment for health and food products
Textiles for PPE production only
Production, distillation, storage, supply and distribution of fuels and lubricants

Agriculture, Fisheries, Livestock, Plantation and Commodities (“optimal” employee capacity)

Agriculture, fisheries and livestock and their supply chains
Plantations and commodities (oil palm, rubber, pepper and cocoa)

Construction

Critical maintenance and repair works
Public infrastructure construction works
Building construction works that provide complete employee accommodation at construction sites, or workers that are housed in Centralised Workers Quarters (CLQ).
Construction works carried out by G1, G2, G3 and G4 contractors.
Individual home renovation works
Government funded project works
Land investigation works
Professionals / consultants involved in permitted construction works
Services in the supply chain for permitted construction works

Trade + Distribution (Without Vaccination)

Shopping malls must be CLOSED, except for supermarkets, hypermarkets and departmental stores INCLUDING all listed essential services.
Supermarkets and hypermarkets
Departmental store, EXCEPT clothes, decorations, cosmetics and children toys
Pharmacies, self-care stores, convenience stores and mini marts.
Restaurants
Laundry services, including self-service laundromats
Pet care and pet food stores
Eyewear and optical goods stores
Hardware stores
E-commerce – all product categories
Wholesale and distribution – for all essential products only
Vehicle workshops, maintenance and spare parts
Other specialty retail store (petrol stations)
Bookstores and stationery shops
Computer shops and telecommunications

Trade + Distribution (For Fully-Vaccinated)

Allowed in Phase 1 states that have fully-vaccinated 50% of their adult populations. Customers must be fully-vaccinated.

Car wash
Electric and electronic shop
House and kitchen appliance shop
Furniture shop
Sporting goods shop
Car accessories shop
Car sales and distribution
Clothes, fashion and accessories shop
Jewellery shop
Barber and hair / beauty saloons (basic hair-cutting services only)

National Recovery Plan Phase 1 SOP : NEGATIVE LIST

These activities are FORBIDDEN under the National Recovery Plan Phase 1 SOP.

Spa, reflexology, massage, wellness, beauty, barber and hair saloons, pedicure and manicure
Cybercafes and cybercenters
Driving schools, maritime training centres, flight schools
Photography activities
Gambling, horse racing and casinos
Factory manufacturing alcoholic beverages, and shops selling alcoholic beverages
Official and unofficial public and private events
Social events like feasts, festivals, weddings, engagements, receptions, aqiqah ceremonies, tahlil, anniversaries, birthdays, reunions, retreats and other social events.
Receiving guests or visitors at home, except in emergencies or for delivery services.
Seminars, workshops, courses, training, conferences, exhibitions, lectures and all MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions) events that are face-to-face.

Tourist attractions like zoos, farms, aquariums, edutainment centres, extreme parks, adventure parks, nature parks, etc.
Souvenir and craft shops, culture and historical premises like museums, libraries, art galleries, native art and culture, stage performance, etc.
Theme parks, family entertainment centres, indoor playgrounds, karaoke, etc.
Interdistrict and interstate tourism
Overseas travel by citizens, and local travel involving foreigners entering Malaysia.
Sports and recreation that involve groups or physical contact.
All indoor sports and recreation activities. Updated!
Spectators and supporters are sports and recreational venues. New!
International or local championships, competitions, and matches, EXCEPT those organised by the National Sports Council and training matches for teams under the Malaysian Football League (MFL).
Sports or recreational activities that cross district and state lines, EXCEPT with police permission.
Hotel lounge performances
Indoor or outdoor busking (except in PPV – vaccination centres)
Night club or pub activities.
Cinema activities.
Indoor and outdoor filming
Any activity that involves many people gathering in one place until it is hard to maintain physical distancing, and compliance with the Director General of Health’s orders.
Any other matter that may be decided by the Government from time to time.

Please Support My Work!

Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

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Malaysia National Recovery Plan : 8 August 2021 Edition!

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Here are the latest updates on the Malaysia National Recovery Plan, that MKN announced!

Updated @ 2021-08-08 : Added new Phase 1, Phase 2 and Phase 3 details.

Updated @ 2021-07-20 : Added new Phase 1 and Phase 2 details.
Updated @ 2021-07-09 : Added new Phase 1 and Phase 2 details.
Updated @ 2021-07-04 : Added new Phase 2 details.
Originally posted @ 2021-06-27

Malaysia National Recovery Plan : New Criteria

On 15 June 2021, the Malaysia National Security Council (MKN) announced the National Recovery Plan with four phases, which was updated on 5 July 2021.

This was further amended with a new criteria on 7 August 2021.

Phase 1

Most stringent movement control restrictions
Only essential services and industries allowed

Phase 2

Before achieving 50% adult vaccinations :

Must meet these requirements (nationally) :
– average daily new COVID-19 cases must be <4,000
– moderate healthcare system / ICU capacity
– 10% population vaccinated with second dose
Must meet these requirements (by state) :
– new cases averaging less than 12.2 cases per 100,000
– moderate ICU use capacity
– 10% population vaccinated with second dose

After achieving 50% adult vaccinations :

Must meet these requirements (nationally) :
– new daily Category 3, 4 and 5 hospitalisations averaging <2,000
– moderate healthcare system / ICU capacity
Must meet these requirements (by state) :
– new daily Category 3, 4 and 5 hospitalisations averaging < 6.1 cases per 100,000
– moderate ICU use capacity

Phase 3

Before achieving 50% adult vaccinations, states must meet these requirements :

average daily new COVID-19 cases must be <2,000
comfortable healthcare system / ICU capacity
40% population vaccinated with second dose

After achieving 50% adult vaccinations, states must meet these requirements :

new daily Category 3, 4 and 5 hospitalisations averaging < 3.0 cases per 100,000
comfortable healthcare system / ICU capacity

Phase 4

States must meet these requirements before they can transition to Phase 4 :

new daily Category 3, 4 and 5 hospitalisations averaging < 1.3 cases per 100,000
safe healthcare system / ICU capacity
60% population vaccinated with second dose

Malaysia COVID-19 Recovery Plan : Phase 1 Updates

On 6 July 2021, MKN announced that busking is now allowed in vaccination centres, and supermarkets and departmental stores can fully open up.

On 19 July 2021, MKN announced these changes :

Up to 40% of public servants can now work in the office
Accounting services are now ALLOWED, with a maximum employee capacity of 60%.
Daily and public markets are now allowed to operate from 6 AM until 4 PM, subject to local authorities and SOP, with monitoring by RELA or civil defence.
Controlled Fresh Produce Market (PST) is allowed to operate from 7 AM until 2 PM.
Cycling and individual sports with physical distancing of 2-3 metres are ALLOWED in the neighbourhood.
Ports, airports and the logistics sector can operate 24 hours.
Mining and quarrying activities are allowed with up to 60% worker capacity.

On 16 July 2021, the government announced that G1, G2, G3 and G4 contractors can resume construction work.

On 3 August 2021, MKN announced that :

residential renovations can begin / resume in Phase 1 areas.
supply of cement and its logistics are now allowed
individual sports and recreational activities are now allowed within the neighbourhood from 7 AM until 8 PM.
critical interviews are allowed, either face-to-face, or online

For the latest Phase 1 SOP, please see National Recovery Plan Phase 1 SOP : 3 August 2021 Edition!

Malaysia COVID-19 Recovery Plan : Phase 2 Updates

On 27 June 2021, MKN announced details for Phase 2 of the National COVID-19 Recovery Plan.

On 3 July 2021, MKN announced that five states met the requirements to transition to Phase 2 – Perlis, Perak, Kelantan, Terengganu and Pahang. They also announced more updates to Phase 2.

On 5 July 2021, MKN announced that Penang met the requirements to transition to Phase 2.

On 6 July 2021, MKN announced that busking is now allowed in vaccination centres.

On 8 July 2021, MKN announced that Sabah met the requirements to transition to Phase 2.

On 19 July 2021, MKN announced these changes :

out-of-studio filming is ALLOWED subject to strict SOP
business premises can now open from 6 AM to 10 PM, including specialty stores (petrol stations).

On 3 August 2021, MKN announced these changes :

Up to 60% of public servants can now work in the office
Critical interviews are now allowed, either face-to-face, or online
Individual sports and recreational activities are now allowed within 10 km from your residence, from 6 AM until 10 PM.
Construction industry is now an essential service in Phase 2 areas.
Maintenance and repair works are allowed to proceed.
Road and highway construction work are allowed to proceed.

For the latest Phase 2 SOP, please see National Recovery Plan Phase 2 SOP : 3 August 2021 Edition!

Malaysia COVID-19 Recovery Plan : Phase 3 Updates

On 27 June 2021, the MKN announced these details for Phase 3 of the National COVID-19 Recovery Plan.

What Business Can Reopen In Phase 3

In Phase 3, all economic activities are allowed to resume, EXCEPT for high-risk activities in the negative list, like :

Spa
Pedicure and manicure
Pub and night club

Beauty saloons are ALLOWED to operate, subject to strict SOP.

Creative industry are ALLOWED in Phase 3, for example – live events without spectators.

Travel Restrictions

Inter-district travel is ALLOWED, but interstate travel is FORBIDDEN.

Up to three (3) people are allowed (including the driver) in public and private vehicles like taxi and e-hailing rides and personal vehicles.

Dining-In

Dining-in at restaurants is ALLOWED, but limited to two (2) persons per table, with physical distancing.

Education

The reopening of the education section, including schools, public and private institutes of higher learning, training institutes and other educational institutes under the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Housing and Local Government and Ministry of Rural Development and other agencies are to be determined by the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Higher Education as well as the Ministry of Health.

Social Activities

Social activities are FORBIDDEN in Phase 3.

However, people will be ALLOWED to receive up to ten (10) guests or visitors at their homes at any one time.

Tourism

Tourism is ALLOWED only within the state.

The reopening of tourist attractions will be subject to risk assessments, and tight SOP.

On 4 August 2021, Perlis, Sarawak and Labuan were upgraded to Phase 3, based on this new SOP.

For the latest Phase 3 SOP, please see National Recovery Plan Phase 3 SOP : 4 August 2021 Edition!

Malaysia COVID-19 Recovery Plan : Phase 4 Updates

On 27 June 2021, the MKN announced these details for Phase 4 of the National COVID-19 Recovery Plan.

Phase 4 is when almost all economic and social sectors will be ALLOWED to reopen completely, subject to the existing SOP.

This is also when interstate travel will be permitted.

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Sabah Upgraded To COVID-19 Recovery Phase 2!

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MKN just announced that Sabah will be upgraded to Phase 2 of COVID-19 Recovery Plan from 10 July 2021 onwards!

Here is what we know so far!

Sabah Upgraded To COVID-19 Recovery Phase 2!

On 8 July 2021, the Malaysia National Security Council (MKN) announced that Sabah will be upgraded to Phase 2 of the COVID-19 Recovery Plan, starting 10 July 2021!

This decision was made after Sabah successfully achieved these three indicators of the COVID-19 Recovery Plan.

New cases averaging less than 12.2 cases per 100,000
Moderate ICU use capacity
Two dose vaccination rate exceeding 10%

Sabah Under COVID-19 Recovery Phase 2 : What Changes?

Government Operations During Phase 2

Government offices can conduct hybrid operations – both office and work from home using this approach :

Office capacity must not exceed 40% (not including frontliners, security, defence and law enforcement) and 60% must work from home, in turns.
All meetings and discussions must be conducted online through a safe and secure medium.
Counter services will be open.
Office attendance must be accompanied by official orders and worker passes.
Compliance with COVID-19 SOP.

What Business Can Reopen In Phase 2

These economic sectors can reopen under Phase 2 of the National Recovery Plan. They will be allowed to operate from 8 AM until 8 PM daily.

Worker capacity in the private sector for essential services can be increased to 80%.

Manufacturing

Automotive (vehicles and components
Ceramics
Furniture factory for export
Rubber
Iron and steel
Cement

Trade + Distribution

Book and stationery stores
Computers and telecommunications
Electrical good
Carwashes
Barber and hair saloons (basic barber services only)

Travel Restrictions

Interstate and inter-district travel are still FORBIDDEN, except for school teachers and students who are sitting for examinations.

Interstate travel for long-distance couples are allowed, only for emergency and special cases with police approval.

Markets

Farmer’s markets and morning markets are allowed to operate from 7 AM until 11 AM, and limited to these six commodities :

vegetables
fruits
groceries
processed chicken
seafood
meat

Weekly markets, night markets and guest markets are FORBIDDEN to operate.

Sports + Recreation

All individual sporting and recreational activities, that do not involve physical touch, are ALLOWED.

Physical distance of at least 2 to 3 metres must be maintained.

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