KUALA LUMPUR, April 15 — Only law firms located in green zones are allowed to operate during the movement control order (MCO) period, according to government standard operating procedure (SOP) guidelines sighted by Malay Mail today.
In the guidelines published by the Legal Affairs Division of the Prime Minister’s Department, only conveyancing and corporate departments for sectors which are already approved by the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (Miti) are allowed to operate from 10am to 4pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays only.
This SOP should be read in conjunction with the Standard Operating Procedure Permission to Operate and Employee Movement for Company Companies Within the Period of Movement Control Orders by Miti.
“Only law firms inside the green zones are allowed to operate and face-to-face services can only be given to clients from the green zones too (the same zone).
“Clients are not allowed to cross zones if they originate from other zones,” read the SOP.
Currently there are only three green zones left in Peninsular Malaysia: Yan in Kedah, Machang in Kelantan and Hulu Terengganu in Terengganu. There are 25 green zones in Sabah and Sarawak.
Under the SOP, the maximum number of workers allowed to work is set at 20 per cent if the law firm declares a minimum of 21 personnel to Miti, 30 per cent for firms that have 10 to 20 personnel and three for firms with less than 10 personnel.
“Attendance of staff needs to be recorded at all times, handwritten inside a special logbook including staff names, Mykad numbers, log-in times, log-in signatures, log-out times and log-out signatures. This record must be kept for a minimum period of six months,” said the SOP.
It added that firms are encouraged to use their own delivery service to obtain a written signature or approval for a document in line with social distancing practices, in addition to compliance with other Covid-19 prevention procedures such as the use of hand sanitiser, gloves and face masks.
“However, the preparation of legal bill claims that covers all branches of law firm practice shall remain as directed by the government of Malaysia, which is at the end of the month as the salary preparation process,” it said.
The government added that it reserves the right to revoke any approval should a company breach the guidelines.
