KUALA LUMPUR: The government has revoked its decision to exempt alcoholic beverage manufacturers from suspending their operations during the Movement Control Order (MCO).
Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said the withdrawal of the exemption for the Heineken and Carlsberg factories comes into effect immediately.
Ismail Sabri, who is also Defence Minister, said that the International Trade and Industry Ministry (MITI) will issue a letter to both beer manufacturers soon.
“The decision to revoke the exempting approval was made during a Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.
“So there will be no issue regarding this matter,” he said.
Ismail Sabri said a letter issued by the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs secretary-general’s office to Heineken on March 31 went viral on social media.
The letter said that the alcoholic beverage manufacturer had met the criteria of a ‘food supplier’ and could therefore remain operating during the MCO.
The MCO came into force on March 18 and has been extended until April 14.
Among others, it forbids non-essential movement and mass gatherings nationwide, and bans Malaysians from travelling overseas, while restricting foreign tourists from entering the country.
During the period, all government and private premises (except for essential services), as well as kindergartens, schools, universities are closed.