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Food and parcel deliveries to come with new rules during MCO

Michelle Liew

April 21, 2020

The new rules place emphasis on health issues to curb the spread of COVID-19.

Food Delivery Services| Photo credits: Soya Cincau

Currently, during the Movement Control Order (MCO), demands of deliveries for food and items have increased to ensure an adequate supply of food and safe transfer of packages. The Transport Ministry has just released guidelines for motorcycle delivery services for food, drinks and parcels for this duration.

The delivery services are categorised as p-hailing (or parcel hailing/ courier services). The rules state that riders must possess a valid driver’s licence, be at least 18 years old and not blacklisted by the Road Transport Department or Royal Malaysia Police. Boxes carried by the riders must adhere to dimensions set by JPJ.

“All operators and riders must place emphasis on health issues, practise social distancing and use contactless transactions where possible,” says Malaysian transport minister Wee Ka Siong as quoted from Bernama.

Food Delivery Riders should sanitise their delivery boxes daily during MCO according to health ministry guidelines and pkp rules. If any staff is infected with COVID-19, the company must assist and give full cooperation to the health ministry in managing and carrying out contact tracing. Riders who contract the disease or who have symptoms must immediately take precautionary steps. This includes self-quarantine and refraining themselves from engaging in delivery services during the MCO period.

P-hailing riders should not use inter-state highways to travel more than 10km and must adhere to National Security Council advisories. This means that riders are not allowed to enter COVID-19 Red Zones. The delivery services are to operate only between 8 am and 8 pm only during MCO. However, operating hours and types of goods permitted to be delivered were subject to zonal restrictions and regulations stipulated by the NSC.

Wee said all riders must carry authorisation letters from their employers or local authorities. P-hailing riders must also register under the mySejahtara smartphone app.