PETALING JAYA: From tomorrow onwards, the entertainment sector, including live music events and cinemas, will be opened to fully vaccinated Malaysians nationwide after having been shuttered for several months due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said fully vaccinated individuals would be able to enjoy entertainment activities such as indoor busking, hotel lounge performances and watching movies at cinemas with a 50% capacity limit.
Other entertainment activities allowed are the recording and broadcast of creative content, as well as the broadcast of live or recorded content in the presence of fully vaccinated audiences with 30% capacity in the studio space.
“Filming in and outside studios for fully vaccinated individuals will be allowed, as well as live performances including musicals, music, theatre and comedy acts in the presence of fully vaccinated audiences with 30% capacity in the studio space.
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“Art events at exhibition halls, museums and galleries will also be allowed for fully vaccinated individuals by appointment and subject to a capacity limit of 30%,” he said in a statement yesterday.
Ismail Sabri said the relaxation for the entertainment sector in Phase One states under the National Recovery Plan would benefit over one million Malaysians, including artistes and workers in the industry.
“This relaxation will also benefit more than 19,000 companies in the creative sector,” he added.
The Prime Minister said the decision was made after the government had taken into account the fact that several states had achieved herd immunity status with 80% of their adult population having been fully vaccinated.
Ismail Sabri said the creative industry contributed 2% or RM29bil to the gross domestic product in 2019.
“Aside from allowing more than one million artistes and workers in the creative sector to continue working, the relaxation is also expected to revive the sector that was badly affected by the pandemic.
“This will also revive all programmes and initiatives by the Communications and Multimedia Ministry through the National Film Development Corporation, MyCreative Ventures and the Cultural Economy Development Agency,” he added.
Ismail Sabri said the decision reflected the government’s continuous efforts in stimulating economic continuity.
He urged workers in the creative industry to abide by the standard operating procedure as the nation heads towards the endemic phase in October.
“God willing, the government remains committed to seeking the best approach to ensure national economic recovery for the wellbeing of the Malaysian Family,” he said.
On Sept 1, the Malaysian Association of Film Exhibitors (Mafe) urged the government to consider allowing cinemas to operate again for those who are fully vaccinated.
Mafe estimated that cinema operators had incurred losses of more than RM600mil after cinemas were closed more than a year ago, affecting over 20,000 workers in the industry.