GSC Confirms M’sians Will Get To Watch Movies at Their Cinemas Again Starting This Friday

(source: Xinhuanet/Twitter)

Golden Screen Cinemas dropped a post on their social media platform yesterday (2 March) night, saying that the cinema chain will reopen starting 5 March.

Just a few weeks ago, GSC kicked off the hashtag #ReopenCinemas on social media as an appeal for its outlets to be allowed to function once more.

Coincidentally, the National Film Development Corporation (Finas) also issued a statement last night to confirm that filming and cinemas are allowed to resume in areas placed under Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) and Recovery MCO.

According to NST, Finas said the resumption of business operations remained subject to all guidelines and standard operating procedures (SOP) stipulated by the National Security Council.

“Filming activities and cinema operations under CMCO and RMCO enforced areas are allowed subject to compliance of all guidelines and SOP stipulated by the NSC,” it said in a statement.

This follows an earlier announcement by Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob on states that will be placed under CMCO and RMCO from Friday. The lifting of the MCO follows data suggesting a downward trend in the Covid-19 infection rate.

Last month, the Malaysian Association of Film Exhibitors (MAFE) said the forced closure of cinemas nationwide is crippling the industry in Malaysia, adding that over a quarter of operators are now out of business.

It said that the cinema industry has already lost up to 90 per cent of revenue year-on-year and more than RM500 million in total losses incurred in the year 2020 alone.