In an open letter to Prime Minister Tan Sri Haji Mahiaddin bin Haji Mohd Yassin, associations representing the shopping mall and retail industries nationwide in Malaysia say their members have been “unduly penalised”. n a joint statement they said that the extension of the Full Movement Control Order (FMCO) from 1 June to 28 June 2021 for the entire country is drastically and tragically damaging to business and the economy. “The announcement of the National Recovery Plan based on the threshold of absolute numbers of COVID cases is too broad brushed and imprecise resulting in unnecessary losses. With the upcoming deadline to review the next course of action, we appeal to the government to judiciously research the data and incidences of COVID cases by economic sector and by locality,” they said. The joint statement was issued by Malaysia Shopping Malls Association, MRCA, Malaysia Retailers Association, Bumiputra Retailers Organisation and the Selangor & Wilayah Persekutuan (KL) Electrical Home Appliances Dealers‘ Association. They pointed out that the Ministry of Health (MOH) data revealed that retail and shopping sector contributed merely 0.8% of all cases in May 2021, even prior to the FMCO lockdown which started on 1 June 2021. ”This significantly improved and extremely low figures testify to the retail and mall industries’ strict adherence to the SOPs and should not be unduly penalised with closure from operating. “Thus, we believe the retail and shopping sector should be re-opened immediately to provide
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employees at risk of being laid off”. “Once these international brands exit from our country, it will be doubly difficult to attract these brands to return. With these massive lay-offs and shop closures, the entire retail and shopping mall industries will be grievously and critically damaged and will need massive efforts and time to re-build the malls’ ecosystem or the malls themselves will permanently close, and the retail supply chain will be deeply fractured,” they said. The statement also stated that malls are very safe places to be and serve as avenues for some relief, both physically and mentally, whilst doing the necessary shopping chores for food and necessities. Furthermore, only those people whose MySejahtera status is “Low-Risk” and whose temperatures do not exceed 37.5°C are allowed in malls. “We appeal to the government to take all positive factors into account in the upcoming review and allow the immediate re-opening of all trades in the malls (except for those in the Negative List). “Any prolongation in re-opening will cause irreparable damage to both the retail and shopping mall industry which may not recover for the next few years, leaving us far behind in the economic recovery process. Therefore, we seek the government’s urgent consideration to mitigate the catastrophic but real scenario as predicted above,” the statement added.
DATO TO YB TAN SRI OPEN LETTER Malaysia mall and of ing the shopping Prime Minister ciations represent following asso s the view of the sent repre r as follows: This open lette ciation) e in Malaysia Asso n-wid Malls natio s ping ysia Shop retail industrie (PPK) (or Mala pleks Malaysia Pengurusan Kom Persatuan g.my/ ://mra.com.my/ https A) y/ http://ppkm.or (MR rg.m n ://www.mrca.o ilers Associatio n (MRCA) https Malaysia Reta Chain Associatio n We app il eal to ers‘ Associatio ) (BRO Malaysia Reta Go nisat revion e Appliances Deal verl nm Hom iew and the trica ent Retailers Orga alloElec to take all uan (KL) w the imm Bumiputra Neekut gative these po ia/ ediate & Wilayah Pers Lis damalays ngor t). sitive facthe /swe Sela reThe k.com opening for tors into ://www.faceboo June all 2021 28 of acc tra to des (SWEDA) https June 1 Presently, the malls ount in the upcom (FMCO) from economy. inThe Orde alre (except for ady r20ing Control ess and the pasntt 16 covid eme g toof busin those in agin30% monthdam shops inof absolute numbers of of the Full Mov s, and cally the malls hav thattragi The extension and threshold in the evebase 30% onhthe d wit e been clo is drastically ofary stalosse s. Plan nt the ff very bei sed beg entire country Reco ng cess nal ma inning of lting in unne due to the laid off, this ll and reta t of the Natio resu July 202 adverse am ecise il ind oun impr inc announcemen ust 1, and lud con ts there ry includ ing pro to 300,00 d brushed ing stre 0 person ditions of the to laid off. On minent domestic will be another 50% cases is too broa et-fntron rnme nel. We fore t shops andn,inte ce these al to theofgove appe the remity. see werna are not internaof brands to tional reta ainder clo by local tionactio r and retunext course al il bra sing their re-opened by ndsomic nds wit econ exit secto to review the rn. covid cases bybra from our doors for ming deadline s of country, it h more employee good, With the upco and incidence s at risk will be dou data the arch of being bly difficu judiciously rese With these merely 0.8% lt to attract ed ribut cont r these shopping secto grievously massive lay 2021. This -off l and s and that retai and alscrit showhic started on 1 June stries' strict p clohsur data reve icallyOdam H)the lockd es, ma Health (MOor the mall ageown the entireindu l and dtoand msFMC priorllstothe The Ministry of thewillretai retail. and elves Thus, we need ma ating testif eswill May 2021, even mely low figur perymanen closu ssioper pping ma re from ve efforts ntialsho of all cases in lls indust Anextre and timand ide esse y prolon be unduly penalised withtly close, oved and prov and impr to ries e tly tely to the not will gat fican reedia ld reta signi ion in re- re-opened imm bui be il supply mallshou industry the SOPs and ld be opening wil chain will ld malls’ ecosystem sector shou adherence to which ma tivity be deeply l cau ping . eco nomic rec l and shop fractured. risk of infecy not recove se irreparable dam ding withoutove believe the retai mun mit for the agecrow igaity irements and to the com te the cat ry process. There r ncing to bowith requ nex t few other services ent th the retail astrophicthe social dista fore, we exist yea nonnow rs, leavin and shopp are but real cong see comply with regate k the to res g able cent sce to t ing us not go men ities nar vernment far beh LIVES that are io as pre entertain anddic List. Opportun tive ’s not LIV urgent con ind in the Firstly, activities listed in theand Nega ELIHOOD are also y-making in pubs attra abo ds ve. crow ctted and merrTT sideratio have already been as, gyms, spas, dancing S MA n to e and . halls that concoursER cinem ally held in the the closure of Thats al even nknorm you. etc. All promotion malls have the at visits their allowed. the duration of shoppers are and e Yours fait se Thes brow s. 2 hour hfuto llylinger and merely 1.5 to s. PEcious cons RSATnot 3 to 4 hours to with mask wearing at all time UAnorm N PEalNG The public is also well URUSplyin ced from the AN gKO significantly redu social distancing and com MPLEKS tising MALAYS res diligently prac IA (PPwhos K) e temperatu and " -Risk "Low tera status is whose MySejah entry of those Malls only allow oC. 37.5 and do not exceed ically f, both phys for some relie e as avenues s. s to be and serv es for food and necessitie very safe place chor 1 Malls are thus ssary shopping nece the g t doin TA mentally, whils N SRI DATO TE O CHIAN G KOK Econom ic Planning ATTN: YB Un DATO SR it, Prime Minister's I MUSTAP Departme nt A MOHA Ministr MED, Min y of Interna ister in The tional Tra ATTN: DA Prime Min de and Ind TO’ SERI ister's De ustry MOHAME partment D AZMIN Ministr ALI, Ministe y of Dome r of Interna stic Trade ATTN: YB tional Tra and Consu de and Ind mer Affairs Consume DATO SRI ALEX ustry ANDER r Affairs NANTA LIN GGI, Min Econom ister of Do ic Action mestic Tra Council, de and ATTN: YB Prime hg PROF Director TAN SRI Minister’s Office Pu DATO SE RI DR NO trajaya OR AZLA N GHAZ ALI, Exe cutive
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essential and other services to the community without risk of infectivity.” The statement added that currently, about 20-30% of shops in malls have been closed due to the adverse conditions of the past 16 months, and with 30% of staff being laid off, this amounted to 300,000 personnel. “We foresee that in the event the mall and retail industry including street-front shops are not re-opened by beginning of July 2021, there will be another 50% of the remainder closing their doors for good, including prominent domestic and international retail brands with more
Malaysia Retailer Vol 9 No 2
Market Info
Reopen All Trades in the Malls
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