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This mall in Johor Bahru has reopened within 24 hours of closure notice. Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Johor mall reopens less than 24hrs after shutdown order

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A Johor shopping mall reopened yesterday, less than 24 hours after it was ordered to close due to a breach of safe distancing measures and insufficient hand sanitizers. 

Only 100 customers have been allowed in the Aeon Mall Tebrau City at any one time and it will close an hour early at 9pm. It opens at 10am. 

“We are pleased to announce that Aeon Mall Tebrau City has reopen today (26 May 2020) after obtained the approval from Ministry of Health (MOH) this morning,” an online statement published yesterday read. Social distancing officers will be on the ground to manage mall crowds. 

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Authorities shutting down the mall. Photo: Twitter @faheem_puch94

Malaysia’s health department had ordered the mall to shut for a week starting 4pm on Monday due to its violation of measures under the Condition Movement Control Order, or CMCO. The order requires malls to, among others, ensure social distancing of at least a meter apart during operating hours and conduct temperature checks.

 According to a rep, Aeon Mall Tebrau City had crowd issues and lacked hand sanitizers.

“The mall had failed to control the crowd and maintain social distancing among its customers, and did not provide enough hand sanitizers,” Johor health and environment committee chairman R Vidyananthan had said.  

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A notice about the mall’s closure went viral on social media. Photo: Twitter @faheem_puch94

Following the shutdown order, the mall issued a statement Tuesday morning saying it would comply with the measures. Hours later, it announced that it would reopen. 

“Today, Ministry of Health (MOH) has instructed our AEON MALL Tebrau City to close,” the original statement read. “They have asked us to step up and take extra precaution to ensure better crowd control and social distancing.”

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