No Ramadan bazaars in Kedah this year

Kedah Menteri Besar Mukhriz Mahathir says Ramadan bazaars will be cancelled as the state government wants to avoid mass gatherings which could cause the spread of Covid-19.

ALOR SETAR: The Kedah government has decided to cancel all Ramadan and Aidilfitri bazaars in the state this year in light of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Menteri Besar Mukhriz Mahathir said the decision was made at the state executive council meeting yesterday.

“We want to avoid mass gatherings which can cause the disease to spread.

“We will ask all local authorities which have taken deposits for bazaar site rental or stalls to refund the payments,” he told reporters at Wisma Darul Aman here.

He also said the state government had decided to defer monthly rental payments for those at public housing projects (RPA) and people’s housing projects (PPR) for six months from April 1 to Sept 30.

“The rental for transit PPR scheme is also exempted (deferred) for six months, as well as the housing division (state government) shop rental,” Mukhriz said.

He said suspending PPR and RPA rent payments would have a financial impact of RM2.76 million. - FMT