The Negeri Sembilan government has requested the Ministry of Health (MOH) to come up with a standard operating procedure (SOP) for optometrists and barbershops respectively.

Menteri Besar Aminuddin Harun (above) said both the services were seen as directly dealing with the public without practising any social distancing issued by the ministry to curb the spread of the Covid-19.

"We hope the SOP will be released soon, and before the services are allowed to operate, as it involves having direct contact with the community.

"Barbershops need more strict SOPs from the ministry," he told reporters after chairing a meeting on the extension of the third phase of the Movement Control Order (MCO) at his official residence in Seremban today.

Aminuddin said for example, barber shops rely on reusable tools and there is the question whether a customer who seeks their services should register their name and address with the shop.

The state government also welcomed the federal government's decision to allow several additional sectors and selected services to operate in stages under the MCO until April 28.

In a separate development, Aminuddin said the salaries of 6,802 permanent and contract staffs in the state has been brought forward from April 23 to April 20.

He added that some 25,600 recipients of the Social Welfare Department's monthly assistance will get their aid early on April 21.

Meanwhile, the state government has allocated RM2.5 million for quarantine centres in the state namely the Aminuddin Baki Institute (IAB), National Audit Academy (AAN) in Enstek City, Nilai and the MOH Training (Seremban Medical Assistants College).

The state government also received a contribution of RM2 million from the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma) - Bernama