KOTA KINABALU, May 1 — Although wearing face masks outdoors and scanning the MySejahtera QR code are not mandatory from today, many people in Sabah continue with these standard operating procedures (SOP) that were previously in force.

A Bernama survey in the city that included recreational areas and weekend attractions like Gaya Street found many people still using their face masks even though they were outdoors.

Meanwhile, entry into shopping malls ran smoothly as visitors did not need to scan the MySejahtera QR code at each premises although thermometers and Mysejahtera code displays were still set up outside each premises.

A visitor, Romalus Wong, 45, said wearing a face mask had become a habit after it was mandatory for two years, adding that although it was no longer mandatory, he decided to continue the practice seeing that Sabah still faced Covid-19 infections.

Asiah Adli, 30, who was at the Taman Awam Teluk Likas recreational area, echoed his views.

"I have become so used to wearing a face mask that it feels strange without it now even though it is no longer mandatory to use it outdoors,” she said.

Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin had said on April 27 that effective May 1 face masks were not mandatory outside buildings and in open spaces but it was still up to the individual.

Khairy said, however, that face masks must still be worn inside buildings and in public transportation including e-hailing rides.

He also said that scanning the QR code using the MySejahtera application as the SOP for check-in to the premises was no longer mandatory.

Meanwhile, Sabah Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun said that from today, various SOP relaxations were in effect nationwide in line with the transition to the endemic phase.

He hoped all citizens would continue to adopt a responsible attitude to ensure that the number of infections in Sabah remained low.

In conjunction with the Labour Day celebration today, Masidi said the state government expressed its appreciation to all workers, especially frontliners who worked hard in the fight against the pandemic. — Bernama