Version 4.0 Updated Circular (25 October 2021)
Guidance on Remote Audits due to Covid-19 Pandemic Restrictions
This Version 4.0 supersedes the Version 3.2 extension of Updated Circular dated 30th August 2021 Guidance on Remote Audits due to Covid-19 Pandemic Restrictions.
Referring to the latest announcement by the Government on the interstate travel approval for fully vaccinated individual “Pergerakan rentas negeri – dibenarkan bagi yang lengkap vaksin” on the 11th October 2021, the Accredited Certification Bodies (ACBs) and Certification Bodies (CBs) shall in their best position strive to ensure that an on-site audit by the Audit Team be conducted.
However, MPOCC would like to urge all the ACBs & CBs to adhere to the National Security Council (NSC) announcement of the National Recovery Plan (NRP) and the Enhanced Movement Control Order (EMCO) by referring to their official website at: https://www.mkn.gov.my/web/ms/covid-19/
NRP (PHASE 1 – PHASE 4)
All MSPO 2530 Series & Supply Chain on-site MSPO audits are allowed on all the NRP Phases, with the following conditions: -
a) 50% capacity meeting room space and following strict SOPs.
b) For Peninsular - Crossing-state borders and districts must adhere to the conditions and SOPs set by the NSC.
a) For the States of Sabah & Sarawak, the Crossing-state borders are only allowed from 1st November 2021 onwards and must adhere to the conditions and SOPs set by the respective state NSC guidelines.
EMCO
a) All MSPO 2530 Series & Supply Chain on-site audits are not allowed. The ACBs & CBs must conduct audits remotely.
All ACBs and CBs shall establish an internal standard operating procedure (SOP) for remote auditing with a risk assessment to address certification activities during this Covid-19 pandemic. Therefore, both ACBs and CBs shall formulate/develop/revise their SOP based on the National Security Council’s updated National Recovery Plan (NRP) by phases of SOP. These SOP shall be available for inspection by STANDARDS MALAYSIA (DSM) during accreditation assessments and when requested by MPOCC.
The remote audit shall be guided by ICT Tools as per IAF MD4:2018 for initial, surveillance, and recertification audits.
This version 4.0 circular shall apply throughout the different phases of the MCO and period imposed by the Malaysian Government starting 1st November 2021.
V4.0 26 October 2021
