Penang Bureau advises all business events in Malaysia postpone

Ashwin Gunasekeran, CEO of Penang Convention & Exhibition Bureau, has advised all organisers in Malaysia to postpone their events. In a statement, Gunasekeran said: “In light of the COVID-19 declaration as a global pandemic by WHO, Penang Convention & Exhibition Bureau (PCEB) would like to advise all business events organisers to postpone their events until the situation is under control. “With 428 confirmed cases in Malaysia as of date, we must make the choice to put the safety and wellbeing of the general public at the top of our priority list. “Should organisers of smaller business events such as seminars, trainings, and meetings continue with their programmes, we urge you to consider migrating your event online. “For any business events travellers who are currently in Penang, should you begin to feel unwell with mild symptoms such as headache and slight runny nose, we strongly advise you to get tested. “As of date, the hospitals identified for COVID-19 screening are Penang Hospital, Kepala Batas Hospital, Seberang Jaya Hospital and Bukit Mertajam Hospital with the Penang Hospital being the sole confirmed isolation facility in the state. “We urge organisers to continue consulting with us as the situation develops. PCEB is here to help you during this trying time, and we are confident that you will be able put on your event in Penang once this situation is stable. “Your safety is our priority, and the entire Business Events Penang industry is committed to ensuring the containment of the COVID-19 outbreak. This is the time for us to remain calm, unite and work together to ensure we recover from this pandemic stronger for Penang and Malaysia. “Thank you.”