Small and Medium Scale Entrepreneurs Alliance of Malaysia (Ikhlas) president Mohd Ridzuan Abdullah has urged the government to allow night markets to operate as usual during the movement control order (MCO).
He expressed concern on the possibility of the MCO being extended after it ends on Jan 26, which will further affect the livelihood of night market traders.
Mohd Ridzuan (above) said should night market traders not be allowed to operate in the next three months, they will hold a protest in front of the Prime Minister's office to voice out their demands.
"We will see what the federal government will decide. If the traders are not allowed to continue their business, we will wait in front of the Prime Minister's office.
"We'll ask what we want. This is because, during the election, when they (politicians) begged for our votes, we gave them the votes.
"So today we want to ask the government, how can you help us?" he said in a media conference in Semenyih.
Ridzuan said alternatively, the government can give compensation to night market traders who are affected by the measures.
Meanwhile, Selangor small traders chairperson Nozhar Che Nor said there should be no problem allowing the night market to operate as it could use the same SOP as last year.
The SOP includes separating the exit and entry point, checking temperatures, and making sure everyone is wearing a face mask and sanitising their hands.
The government recently announced the MCO in Penang, Selangor, Malacca, Johor, Sabah, Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya, and Labuan to contain the outbreak of Covid-19.
This followed the worsened Covid-19 situation in the country in which the health care system reached its breaking point after the proliferation of Covid-19 cases to four-digit daily since November last year.
Other states are under the conditional MCO and the recovery MCO.
Last year, the night market was allowed to operate since June 15 with tight SOP in place. - Mkini
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