Let shift workers buy food after 8pm, govt told

 

In MCO states, restaurants, coffeeships and food outlets are only allowed to offer takeaway services. (Bernama pic)

PETALING JAYA: Food industry players have urged the government to allow people to buy food after 8pm, although the Mydin hypermarket boss says the hours are fair, and are aimed at ensuring people stay at home in areas under movement control restrictions.

Businesses in those states under the movement control order are only allowed to operate from 6am to 8pm, a ruling which includes those in the food and beverage industry as well as food deliveries, drive-throughs and restaurants.

Restaurants, coffeeshops and food outlets are allowed to offer only takeaway services.

DeliverEat co-founder Tan Suan Sear hoped the government would reconsider the hours in view of the many Malaysians who work on shifts.

He said: “8pm is too early to close. If possible, I hope the government can extend it to 9pm.”

He said many people work on shifts, such as those in the police, army, Bomba (Fire & Rescue).. “It will be hard for them (to get food). Right now with the 8pm ruling, restaurants will already be cleaning up and closing shop from 7pm,” he added.

Selangor, Penang, Melaka, Johor, Sabah, Kelantan and the federal territories of Kuala Lumpur, Labuan, and Putrajaya are all under MCO restrictions, with only essential services and five economic sectors allowed to remain open.

J Govindasamy, the president of the Malaysian Indian Restaurant Owners Association, said many association members had been complaining about the 8pm closing time.

He said that many of the customers who frequent the group’s 2,000 shops have voiced concerns about not being able to get dinner by the time they are home after work.

“By the time they reach home after the traffic jams, it’s too late to order food as restaurants close by 8pm. If possible, I hope the government can extend the (closing) time to 10pm,” he added.

The Malaysian Trades Union Congress has also called on the authorities to consider the needs of frontliners. MTUC deputy president Mohd Effendy Abdul Ghani said: “They are working 24 hours and it’s not just 9 to 5… (so) I hope we can find a way to accommodate them as well,” he said..

However, Ameer Ali Mydin, managing director of the Mydin hypermarket chain, said the current operating hours were fair.

“The objective of the MCO is to get people to stay at home and to be fair, the government is being flexible enough, the rules are more flexible than the first MCO (in March to May last year).

“The government cannot cater to everyone’s whim and fancies. I think 8pm is fine as most people keep office hours. People also have to realise that the reason we are going through this again is because many have not been following the rules during CMCO and RMCO,” he said, referring to the more relaxed restrictions after May last year. - FMT