In a statement, Hishammuddin said the government is also removing the need for premises to provide record books for visitors to register themselves. This takes effect from Feb 11 as well.

The SOP for taking a person’s temperature when entering any premises has been in place since Covid-19 was declared a pandemic almost two years ago.

However, he stressed that it was still mandatory for everyone to “check in” through the MySejahtera application.

“If the owners of premises wish to continue temperature checks and maintain record books for check-ins, the government welcomes and encourages it,” he said.

He also explained that with all states in the country having moved to phase four of the National Recovery Plan, the next step would be to transition to the endemic phase.

“Although the number of daily cases continues to increase, the number of hospitalisation and cases warded at intensive care units remains low.

“This shows the country’s health system is under control and must remain so to transition to the endemic phase,” he said.

Hishammuddin also announced new SOPs for pilgrims travelling to Mecca for umrah.

Among them are travel agencies providing a person in charge to monitor the adherence of SOPs of pilgrim groups and pilgrims being allowed to undergo mandatory quarantine at home without having to submit a home quarantine application.

Returning pilgrims would also be allowed to quarantine at private quarantine stations at their own expenses, he said.

Hishammuddin added that after almost two years of the pandemic, the country needed to move forward and any further restrictions would no longer be a good decision.

He said, however, that no date had been set for the transition to the endemic phase as it depended on the decision of the Special Committee to Address Covid-19 and the prime minister.

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