Ministry grants Heineken permission to operate during MCO

• UPDATED 8.15AM, April 6  | Updated to include Heineken statement sent late last night

CORONAVIRUS | Heineken Malaysia Bhd has been granted permission to operate during the movement control order (MCO).

This is after the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry, in a letter to Heineken sighted by Malaysiakini, agreed that the alcoholic beverages producer was a food supply operator and therefore can operate during the partial lockdown.

Heineken Malaysia, when contacted, confirmed to Malaysiakini that the letter is authentic.

"In reference to your application dated March 24, after scrutinising and checking the documents presented, the ministry finds your application fulfils the required criteria as an operator in the food supply sector under the MCO.

"Therefore, the ministry affirms and agrees that your businesses activities can open/operate to ensure sufficient food supply throughout the MCO enforcement," read the letter.

The letter, dated March 31, was inked by the ministry's secretary-general Hasnol Zam Zam Ahmad.

In a later statement, Heineken stressed that it will only resume “limited operations with a minimal number of essential workers” during the MCO.

Less than 10 percent of their workforce will be involved in ensuring continuous supply of their products in the market, they said, while all other non-essential workers will continue to work from home.

“To ensure full compliance with the government approval, only the essential workers whose names have been submitted and approved will carry the government approved letter and other company documentation to enable them to carry out their duties.

“We have an obligation to ensure continuous supply of our products, maintain the employment of our people and to contribute positively to the economic recovery of our nation,” said Heineken in a statement. 

In an effort to combat the coronavirus, the country has gone into a partial lockdown since March 18.

The MCO was supposed to end on March 31 but was extended until April 14.

Under the MCO, all non-essential businesses and services must close while people are only allowed to leave their homes for pressing reasons such as to restock food supply.

The measures have brought a large section of the country's economy to a standstill.

As of noon, Malaysia recorded 3,662 Covid-19 cases with 61 deaths.

Globally, 1.2 million have become infected and 65,841 have died to date.

Keep up with the latest information on the outbreak in the country with Malaysiakini's free Covid-19 tracker.

Malaysiakini is providing free access to the most important updates on the coronavirus pandemic. You can find them here.

Help keep independent media alive - subscribe to Malaysiakini.

Getting favourite food not an acceptable excuse to flout MCO - IGP

Be truthful, Health DG stresses after infected overseas returnee led to 5 deaths

Covid-19 cases climb to 3,662, death toll at 61

Covid-19 spreading through food? No such reports yet, says DG