RMCO: Theme parks, cinemas to reopen with SOP compliance

KUALA LUMPUR, June 29 -- The reopening of theme parks, including water parks from Wednesday (July 1) during the Recovery Movement Control Order (RMCO) will not only revive economic activities for industry players but also provide opportunities for the public to enjoy some rest and recreation with their families.

Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said the 54 parks, including more than 10,000 workers nationwide, however, had to comply with the standard operating procedures (SOP).

Among the key SOPs are ensuring social distancing at all times, temperature checks of visitors at the main entrance and ensuring that the number of people allowed is in accordance with the space capacity and size of the theme park areas.

Sunway Theme Park executive director Calvin Ho said he would ensure its parks’ level of cleanliness and that compliance of the SOP was maintained at the highest level for the safety of visitors.

“We, at Sunway Lagoon, Selangor and Lost World of Tambun in Perak, will ensure that visitors comply with social distancing and we will also provide them with disinfectants,” he said when he appeared as an online guest on Bernama TV’s ‘Malaysian Petang Ini’ programme today.

Ho said they would also limit the number of visitors to just 30 percent of the total capacity or 15,000 visitors a day instead of 50,000.

“We will also check our water quality regularly, including tests by an independent third-party water quality control contractor. We are always in constant contact with the MOH (Health Ministry) to ensure that factual information is channelled to the public in a consistent manner,” he said.

Meanwhile, MBO Cinemas said it would ensure that cleanliness is practised at all times, including cleaning and disinfection exercises in the cinema lobby, walkways, ticket counters and the whole premises before and after operations.

Its chief operating officer, Cheah Chun Wai, said the company would ensure all SOPs were complied with, including conducting body temperature checks and social distancing at ticket counters, food kiosks and ticket collection entrances.

As for ticket prices for each show, he said it would be decided after taking into account the entire preparation made for the reopening of cinemas.

On the number of viewers to be allowed into each movie hall, Cheah said it would be done in accordance with the SOP that allows a maximum of 250 viewers per session depending on the hall size.

Among the movies MBO would screen in July are Japanese action flick ‘Kaiji: Final Game’; Thai horror-comedy ‘Low Season’ and Korean horror flick ‘Train to Busan 2: Peninsula’.

-- BERNAMA