Licenced credit companies allowed to operate during MCO phase 1 - KPKT

PUTRAJAYA, June 23 -- Community credit companies or money lenders registered under the Ministry of Housing and Local Government (KPKT) are allowed to operate during phase one of the Movement Control Order (MCO) with immediate effect.

KPKT said the decision was made at the National Security Council (MKN) Special Meeting chaired by Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin on June 18.

Following this, KPKT said community credit companies or money lenders  need to apply for permission to operate through the International Trade Industry Ministry by accessing the ministry's COVID-19 Intelligent Management System (CIMS) 3.0 portal via notification.miti.gov.my effective today. 

“The companies will only be allowed to operate after obtaining approval through the CIMS system," said KPKT in a statement today.

For community credit companies in Sabah, Sarawak and the Federal Territory of Labuan, permission to operate must be referred to the relevant authorities such as the Sabah State Ministry of Finance (KKNS), Sarawak State government departments and Labuan Corporation.

According to KPKT, several standard operating procedures (SOP) have been updated for the sector, including the operating hours, client meetings are limited from 9 am to 5 pm and only two customers are allowed at the premises at a time

"Customers are encouraged to make an appointment before coming in to reduce the number of customers in queue, while only 60 per cent of management and operation staff are allowed to be at the workplace," said KPKT.

It added that the relevant parties are required to provide the MySejahtera QR Code, customer log book, and customers must check in their attendance via MySejahtera or manually, in areas without internet access or for those without smartphones.

"Customers whose body temperature is above 37.5 Celsius or show symptoms of a sore throat, cough, flu, shortness of breath are not allowed to enter the premises," said KPKT.

The community credit companies must inform KPKT and refer to MKN SOP or the Ministry of Health if there are staff or customers who test positive for COVID-19.

For further inquiries, the public can contact the officer-in-charge at KPKT Community Credit Control Division at 03-8891 4695/4661/4659/4652/4721 for licensing matters and 03-8891 4690/4668/4658/4708 to lodge complaints.

-- BERNAMA