THE Bukit Mertajam Market, which was closed since May 31, reopened today with 93 of its 263 traders operating their business.
Seberang Perai City Council (MBSP) mayor Datuk Rozali Mahmud said some of those who stayed away were still under quarantine while some decided not to start business yet for own reasons.
The market was earlier shut down by the Health Ministry through MBSP after three Covid-19 cases were reported there.
Rozali said out of the 253 traders and workers ordered to undergo swab test, 31 were found to be positive.
“Until 8 o’clock this morning, the market has 529 visitors. It usually draws 1,000 visitors. Now it has 50 percent of the visitors.
“Their confidence level, I believe, will increase from day to day,” Rozali told a press conference which was also attended by state Local Government, Housing, Town and Country Planning Committee chairman Jagdeep Singh Deo.
Jagdeep said the market would be upgraded and a new one would also be built in Bukit Mertajam.
He said in fact some of the 56 public markets in both the island and market had been upgraded, some in the process of being upgraded and the remaining in the planning stages for upgrading.
Jagdeep reminded the people the importance of adhering strictly to the standard operating procedures (SOPs) in order to win the war against Covid-19.
“The cases went down two days ago and came up yesterday. This shows we must not take it lightly because it can suddenly go up. The number speaks for itself.
“The virus doesn’t seem to go anywhere and keeps haunting us. We have a lot of work to do,” he said.
Story by K.H. Ong
Pix by Muhammad Amir Irsyad Omar