A complete lockdown is much needed to break the current spread of Covid-19 in the community. It is the only way to ensure the long term survival of industries including hotels.
Government must ensure implementation is executed at the highest level, there is no room for compromise when the country is facing such high numbers daily.
Government must also do its best in ensuring businesses are supported throughout the period.
“Enhancement to the wage subsidy program is long overdue, and banks must play its part too by giving automatic full moratorium at zero interest to assist the Government in ensuring the survival of businesses. Banks collectively declared billions of net profit for the year 2020 as well as the first quarter of 2021.
“Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) announced that had declared first quarter 2021 net profit of RM958.7 mil after announcing RM3.4 billion profits for year 2020, and needs to extend its support to businesses, with a minimum of 50% discount on electricity charges.
“Businesses unable to cope with operating and payroll costs should be given leeway on statutory payments during the lockdown, to protect jobs of the people,” said Yap Lip Seng . Chief Executive Officer of Malaysian Association of Hotels (MAH).
Yap also added that SOPs to be announced must be thorough with considerations for all industries.
“For hotels, the industry only needs to be classified as essential services as it is currently playing a major role for quarantine as well as for the general public opting for self-isolation after potential exposure, to protect family members especially those of high risk category.
“Personnel of essential services are also dependent on hotels to provide temporary accommodation.
“The Government must take advantage of the lockdown to conduct mass testing and isolate infected people to break the chain of community spread and to ensure that the country can move towards the second and third phase of the lockdown as soon as possible. Hotels are ready to receive and support the need of low risk treatment and for quarantine purposes,” added Yap.
He added that, above all, the industry is thrilled on the news of incoming supply of vaccines, hotels back in March assisted the Covid-19 Immunization Task Force (CITF) in registering over 35,000 names of those working in the hotel industry for vaccination.
The industry is hopeful as economic front liners that its employees will be included in the upcoming schedule. Hotels are open to explore means and options to support CITF in ramping up vaccination.