MALAYSIANS can now breathe easier with the Health Ministry’s announcement that the use of face masks indoors is now optional from September 7 2022.
THE majority of residents in Subang Jaya however continue to don face masks in public places despite the relaxation.
Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin when announcing the matter said, however, that premises owners could still determine whether visitors were required to wear one.
A random check at 𝐌𝐲𝐝𝐢𝐧 𝐔𝐒𝐉𝟏 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐌𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐥𝐥 today found many of the shoppers continued to wear face masks when out shopping at the hypermarket and shopping mall. A few were spotted without masks while some have opted to keep their masks on (but at the chin) while walking around indoors.
According to Jason Chin, General Manager of 𝐒𝐮𝐧𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐏𝐲𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐝, the shopping mall will adhere to the latest guidelines announced by the Ministry of Health.
“After 3 years of masking up, the wearing of masks is now to be self-regulated by the general public. The guidelines stated that the wearing of face masks is optional indoors hence it is no longer mandatory for the general public to don on face masks when they enter our mall premises.”
He said the latest announcement also stated that businesses may impose the wearing of face masks in their premises if they prefer. It will entirely be at their discretion if retailers want to continue this practice.
“However, we are encouraging our F&B retailers to continue the wearing of face masks for the safety of diners. As for the mall’s employees, the wearing of face masks remain compulsory for the mall’s frontliners such as Security, Housekeeping and Customer Care employees,” he added.
SJECHO also contacted the management of 𝐌𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐬𝟏𝟓 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐭𝐲𝐚𝐫𝐝 and were informed that shoppers were encouraged to continue wearing their masks while in the two malls. However, all staff and workers on duty are required to wear face mask for the time being.
𝐒𝐮𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐠 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐞 management has also stated that it will encourage shoppers to continue wearing their face masks when entering and moving around in the mall.
Over at 𝐃𝐚 𝐌𝐞𝐧 𝐌𝐚𝐥𝐥, the management said it will not insist that shoppers don masks when entering the mall. It added that for tenants, it will be at the discretion of the operators to enforce mask wearing or otherwise. It further said that food and beverage operators and food servers are encouraged to mask up for hygiene purposes as well as to give confidence to patrons.
