In a statement, he also announced that weekly and night markets will be allowed to operate.

The new relaxed SOPs will come into effect at midnight.

Muhyiddin urged restaurant operators to set up more tables outdoors for better ventilation and to reduce the spread of Covid-19.

Premises owners must also ensure that customers show proof of their Covid-19 vaccination digital certificate. Children aged 17 and under may accompany their parents but must adhere to strict SOPs.

Also allowed are outdoor individual sports and recreational activities including jogging, taichi, exercise, cycling, fishing, equestrian, skateboarding, archery, hiking, singles tennis and badminton, and golf.

Picnics and camping are also included, with those aged 17 and below to comply with strict SOPs.

While clubhouses may be open for dining in, their changing rooms and showers must remain closed.

Further details on the relaxed rules, Muhyiddin said, would be announced by the National Security Council (MKN) soon.

He said the decision was made after taking into account the vaccination rate of the adult population, which reached its target of 50% before the end of August.

The health ministry has also recorded a decrease in Category 3 to 5 cases since 40% of the adult population had been vaccinated.

“At the same time, data from the Crisis Preparedness Response Centre (CPRC) for Hospitals showed that the situation in emergency departments in the Klang Valley has improved.”

However, should an infection occur in one of the premises now allowed to operate, Muhyiddin warned that the health ministry would take immediate measures such as conducting a risk assessment, possibly closing the area involved and issuing fines for SOP violation.

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