GEORGE TOWN, March 20 — The Penang state government has urged its federal counterpart to ensure the strict enforcement of the Movement Control Order on factories.
Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said the lack of clarity over this was unhelpful as the manufacturing sector was one of the state’s main industries.
Noting that some manufacturers were given partial exemptions to resume limited operations, Chow said this was causing confusion at other factories.
This is the first matter the Penang CM said he will raise at a National Security Council special meeting that will be held at Putrajaya.
“Yesterday, I received an invitation to attend the National Security Council special meeting on Covid-19 that will be chaired by the Prime Minister at 3pm today so I will be heading to Putrajaya after this,” he said during his Facebook live message today.
He added that the heads of all five Pakatan Harapan states were invited to the meeting this time.
Chow said he will represent Penang to raise four main issues in the meeting, the first of which was for a more detailed plan for the operations of factories during the MCO.
The second issue he will raise is to ask the federal government to ensure sufficient medical supplies and equipments in all Penang government hospitals and clinics.
“Third, I will raise the issue of private healthcare operators and the public facing difficulties in obtaining face masks, thermometers, sanitisers and other essential health safety equipments,” he said.
He proposed that the federal government impose an export quota on face masks and introduce subsidies to local manufacturers to meet domestic needs for face masks.
He also appealed to the federal government to supply face masks, thermometers, sanitisers and other essential health safety equipments to every state in the country so that these could be distributed to the sectors that needed it.
“Fourth, I will ask about the status of the state’s application for RM30 million from the government’s economic stimulus package that was announced by the prime minister before this,” he said.
Chow said Penang is one of the first states to respond to the government’s efforts to cooperate in stopping the spread of the novel coronavirus (Covid-19).
He said Penang has set aside all political differences and focused on the fight against Covid-19 to protect the people against the outbreak.
“There is no room for political differences during this period,” he said.
Chow had called for stricter enforcement by both city councils yesterday to ensure full compliance with the MCO which is until March 31.
The Penang state government and the two city councils have set up respective task forces to implement and enforce the MCO.
