Water sports, swimming pools allowed from June 25 - Ismail Sabri

Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said the Special Ministerial Meeting also agreed to allow pool operations in controlled areas for recreational purposes.

It includes private pool at the residences, gated communities and public pool at hotels and recreational clubs.

However, he said the consent was subject to standard operating procedures (SOPs) including providing personnel to ensure the number of users in the pools were controlled.

“Swimming training activities (including diving) are allowed in the pool according to the designated sessions and are limited to a number of people in each session according to the capacity of the pool.

"This includes national, state and club swimmers and swimming academies in certain training programs or swimmers in training program stages (such as learn to swim programs)," he said at a press conference here on Friday.

Ismail Sabri said pool operators, clubs and swimming academies need to register their pool opening notices with the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) at the notification.miti.gov.my website.

He said this was for the purpose of SOP compliance and monitoring by the Ministry of Youth and Sports.

Here are some of the SOPs involving activities in swimming pools:

- Social distancing of three to five meters during pool exercise.

- Leave the premises or training venue as soon as possible at the end of the training activity.

- Swimming activities are held in a standard pool for training and competition.

- Make sure the user cleanses himself/herself first before using the pool.

Meanwhile, the General SOP for Management set for pool operators are:

- Appropriate internal SOP

- Controls the number of swimmers in the pool and in the bathroom or changing room