KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 22 — Businesses in Malaysia can now operate with full capacity in terms of their employees’ physical attendance if they have been fully vaccinated against Covid-19, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob announced today.

Ismail Sabri, who chairs the government’s special committee managing the Covid-19 pandemic, said this was decided today by the committee.

"Attendance of employees for each business that is allowed to operate is at 100 per cent capacity, with the condition that the employer and all employees are fully vaccinated,” he said in a brief statement today.

He said the committee had also decided that grocery stores, mini markets, restaurants, petrol stations and convenience stores will be allowed to have longer operating hours of 6am to midnight, starting from September 23 (tomorrow).

However, he also said the government is calling for Malaysians to be fully disciplined and responsible while enjoying these relaxations to Covid-19 precautions.

"Comply with all SOPs that have been set, wear face masks, practise physical distancing and always ensure personal hygiene and safety,” he said.

Other relaxations announced by Ismail Sabri today were the reopening from October 1 onwards of tourism centres, tourism premises or tourism products such as zoos, farms, aquariums, snorkelling, scuba diving, fishing tourism, forest parks; as well as spa businesses, wellness centres and health massages.

The condition for the reopening from October 1 is that the operators and visitors must be fully vaccinated against Covid-19.

He also said the government has decided that interstate activities, tourism centres and islands will be allowed if 90 per cent of adults in Malaysia are vaccinated against Covid-19.

He said it was decided today that foreigners who arrive at Malaysia’s international entry points will have to bear the cost of the RT-PCR tests for Covid-19, while the same test would be free for Malaysians who arrive in the country.