GEORGE TOWN, Feb 10 — Hotels in Penang that have been severely impacted by the movement control order (MCO) and the Covid-19 pandemic have applied to be converted into Covid-19 Low-Risk Patient Quarantine and Treatment Centres (PKRC).

Penang’s Tourism and Creative Economy committee chairman Yeoh Soon Hin said several hotels have submitted their applications to the state government.

"The global spread of the pandemic has impacted the tourism sector which sees the hotel industry with huge operating costs struggling to maintain their operations," he said in a statement today.

He said the state government has informed the Penang National Security Council and health department of these applications.

"Foreign countries including Thailand have implemented this measure by converting hotels into low-risk centres to ease the current capacity shortage in PKRCs and at the same time keep hotel operations going,” Yeoh said.

He said hotels interested in being converted into temporary accommodations for workers can also apply with the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture Malaysia.

"The hotel will need to comply with Workers’ Minimum Standards of Housing and Amenities Act 1990 (Act 446),” he said.

He said this initiative will be able to break the chain of virus transmission at workplaces while at the same time help the hotel industry that was badly impacted by the pandemic.

Hotels registered with the Ministry of Tourism (Motac) can email to inisiatifhotel@motac.gov.my and hotels not registered with Motac can visit www.spip.gov.my to get the hotel registered.