The four outlets listed under the HIDE system were Queensbay Mall, Gurney Paragon Mall, Lotus’s Penang (Jelutong), and AEON Queensbay.
The other non-retail related premises and the only other outlet besides the malls above listed under the inaugural HIDE list was Toshiba TEC Malaysia Manufacturing Sdn Bhd, an electronics factory in Bayan Lepas. However, there was no update given on the factory.
In a statement, Chow said the decision was made after talks with the Penang health department and the director of the National Security Council in Penang.
He said the decision was further discussed and decided in a national Covid-19 management meeting chaired by the prime minister which he attended virtually earlier today.
“The four shopping premises which were ordered to close under HIDE were allowed to reopen as the sanitation process has been carried out in full,” he said.
Chow said the HIDE system was an early warning system and was not an indication of an actual Covid-19 cluster at the location.
HIDE uses data obtained from MySejahtera check-ins and healthcare databases over a seven-day period to predict the likelihood of places that could become a Covid-19 hotspot, using big data analytics.
Premises listed under HIDE basically means a sizable number of people who were potentially exposed to Covid-19 have visited the outlet.
Prominent malls like 1Utama Shopping Centre, Mid Valley Megamall in the Klang Valley and supermarkets have complied with the government’s latest directive, with their premises closed until tomorrow.
Aside from malls, busy transport terminals, convenience stores, markets and Ramadan bazaars were also among the 152 premises listed on the HIDE list.
The HIDE system was developed by Bank Negara Malaysia and the health ministry.
Meanwhile, two groups representing the interests of spas and wellness centres are also asking to be allowed to reopen as they have the means to operate under strict SOPs.
Spas and massage centres are currently forbidden to operate. The Association of Malaysian Spas and Malaysian Association of Wellness and Spa in a joint statement said their industry should not be regarded as “entertainment” and should not be profiled negatively.
They also called for their workers to be put as a priority for Covid-19 vaccination.
“We are in the serious business of wellness. Give us our due. There should be a category of license for spa and/or wellness which should be accorded to us. We should not be licensed and operate under beauty salons,” they said.