Its acting chairman Vincent Lim said the industry was badly affected during the past year and it was time to open these doors to allow them to create the jobs and revenue that is crucial for this last quarter of the year.

“With the national vaccination rollout now approaching 80% and going strong, we cannot afford to sit back any longer. Business events require a minimum of three months to plan and promote in order for us to execute an exhibition,” he said in a statement.

Lim added that if the arts and creative industries, including cinemas were allowed to reopen, “there was no reason to keep the business events sector closed”.

The government previously announced the reopening of eight creative industry sectors on Sept 10 that had ceased since the movement control order (MCO) was implemented last year.

According to Lim, the business events sector contributed RM27.5 billion to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) in 2019 alone.

Lim called for the government to consider reopening the sector immediately under strict compliance to SOPs.