‘Illegal shops’ not following SOPs, say wholesale market traders

 

One of the ‘illegal shops’ seen here full of customers who were not wearing face masks at the Kuala Lumpur wholesale market today.

KUALA LUMPUR: Vegetable traders at the Kuala Lumpur wholesale market in Selayang are crying foul over the lack of enforcement to weed out foreign-run shops at the market, and raised fears of a Covid-19 cluster.

Three traders who spoke to FMT said there are about 20 to 40 shops illegally run by Bangladeshis and Myanmar nationals, as well as refugees.

A trader who wanted to be known as Tee said customers are going in and out of these shops without adhering to SOPs and “sometimes they don’t even wear face masks.”

“To enter the pasar borong, our customers have to take a swab test. But to escape this, our customers buy from these illegal shops instead,” Tee told FMT.

His clients are mostly traders at pasar tani, provision shops and restaurant operators.

Tee said some of the illegally run stores are packed with up to 20 people at a time.

“Our area may turn into a Covid-19 cluster if no action is taken,” he added.

He urged authorities to take immediate action and to shut down shops run by foreigners to avoid another Covid-19 cluster due to the non-compliance with the SOPs.

Another trader, Goh, told FMT that 70% of their vegetables are thrown into the trash because their clients go to foreign-run shops to avoid having to comply with SOPs.

“We are losing our business. Under total lockdown, our operating hours are limited and now we have to deal with these foreigners.

“How are we to survive?” he said, adding that the traders had lodged a complaint with Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL).

“Why are the authorities turning a blind eye?” he asked.

Pang, another vegetable trader at the market, urged the authorities to take immediate action.

He said most of the foreigners had worked with them previously but had now opened their own shops.

“They know who our clients are. They also have their contact numbers.

“Most of our clients are now going to them to escape the SOPs,” he added.

FMT has reached out to DBKL and is awaiting a response.

In January, 163 confirmed Covid-19 cases were reported at the Selayang wholesale market after more than a week of tests among workers at the vegetable, fruit and fish sections. - FMT