Following the recent launch of the Retail Industry Vaccination Program (RIVAC), retailers in the country now want clear guidelines to allow them to reopen their businesses as soon as possible and this really means having clear standard operating procedures (SOPs).
The Malaysian Retail Chain Association (MRCA) stated that as stakeholders they are willing to engage with the authorities to ease concerns and to recommend workable, practical solutions.
While reopening retail stores and shops are important, the present high rate of Covid-19 infections remain a concern.
Several retail associations have issued a joint memorandum with proposals to the government for a quicker reopening of retail businesses,
Among the proposals is to allow businesses to reopen if 70 percent of the employees are fully vaccinated. On the other hand, the proposal has also been put forward that only customers who are fully vaccinated be allowed into retail outlets.
This should especially be so for shopping malls, allowing malls, in this way, to become a green bubble environment for the public to seek relief and release after being locked down for such a long period of time.
MRCA noted that infections at malls are actually very low, accounting for only 0.8 percent of total Covid-19 cases.
Other than MRCA, the joint memorandum was endorsed by the Malaysia Shopping Malls Association, Malaysia Retailers Association, Bumiputera Retailers Organisation, Malaysia REIT Managers Association and Malaysia Association of Theme Park and Family Attractions.
-NIAGATIMES
