Minister urges supermarkets to screen customers to curb Covid-19

CORONAVIRUS | Supermarkets nationwide are encouraged to conduct Covid-19 temperature screening of customers before they enter the premises.

This was the call issued by Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Alexander Nanta Linggi today as part of the ongoing efforts to curb the spread of Covid-19 during the two-week movement control order which ends on March 31.

“In actuality, that (temperature screening for customers before they enter supermarkets) is encouraged for the benefit of everyone.

“Some supermarkets do not do that, they should do so. This is just a general instruction from the ministry so that together we all play a role in tackling the Covid-19 (pandemic in Malaysia),” Nanta said.

He was speaking during a press conference at the sidelines of a meeting between his ministry and the Agriculture and Food Industries with industry players at the (Domestic Trade) ministry’s headquarters in Putrajaya today.

Earlier, Nanta and Agriculture and Food Industries Minister Ronald Kiandee spent more than two hours from 10am today discussing with industry players about the issues faced during the movement control order period.

Nanta was responding to the media’s queries on whether supermarkets must conduct temperature screening of customers before they are allowed to enter the premises.

When asked further by the media over the issue, Nanta said the call for supermarkets to conduct temperature screening on customers is an encouragement to help stem the spread of Covid-19.

“There is no enforcement on this, we (Domestic Trade Ministry) enforce in terms of goods. That is why I encourage supermarkets to do that (temperature screening of customers), as this is also for the benefit of their staff as well,” Nanta said.

About what was discussed with industry players during the two-hour-plus meeting, Nanta said they discussed initiatives that were being undertaken by businesses to curb the spread of the pandemic, among others.

He said the government appreciates the initiatives by industry players, such as supermarkets practising social distancing when customers are making payment at cashiers as well as some supermarkets' conducting temperature screening on customers before they enter the premises.

He said the ministry also advised related businesses to ensure the cleanliness of shopping trolleys by cleaning them constantly as part of ongoing nationwide efforts to bring down the number of Covid-19 cases.

Nanta said he and Kiandee also urged industry players in the retail sector to ensure sufficient supply of goods to prevent disruption to the supply chain during the movement control order period.  - Mkini