Number of UTCs visitors increases during RMCO MOF

The number of visitors to the Urban Transformation Centres (UTCs) has increased during the Recovery Movement Control Order (RMCO) period, and the trend is expected to continue in the coming months, according to the Ministry of Finance (MOF).

In June, UTCs nationwide recorded a total of 469,441 visitors when it began operations in full, in line with the government's move to reopen the country's economy.

"When the government began its gradual reopening of the economy on May 4, only 31,239 UTC visitors were recorded in May," the MOF said in a statement today.

Between January and February this year, the average number of people visiting UTC is 1.2 million a month and the number of visitors has dropped sharply during the enforcement of the Movement Control Order (MCO) in March and April.

The statement also said that Finance Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz today visited the Sentul UTC, Kuala Lumpur.

Tengku Zafrul spent time visiting the offices of government agencies such as the National Registration Department (NRD), Immigration Department, Road Transport Department (RTD) and UTC dental clinic, as well as socialising with traders and visitors.

Meanwhile, the ministry said that the move to extend the UTC operating hours since July 1, has provided convenience and comfort for Malaysians to do business at service counters of government agencies outside office hours and on weekends.

"This is in line with the third thrust in the National Economic Recovery Plan (PENJANA) which is to stimulate the economy through the extension of service hours in new normal," it added.

Apart from that, the ministry said that the community was confident and comfortable to go out, including to do business related to government agencies following the introduction of the standard operating procedures (SOP) at business centres.

There are 22 UTCs nationwide, since the first branch was established in Melaka in 2012, with a total of 14 million visitors recorded in 2019, compared to only 6.4 million recorded in 2013.

-- BERNAMA