HAWKERS and traders at the Bayan Baru food court and its wet market in Penang are bracing for tougher times due to the reimplementation of conditional movement control order (CMCO) from today till Dec 6.
The CMCO, covering all states in the Peninsular Malaysia, except Perlis, Pahang and Kelantan, is ordered by the Federal Government to curb the rise of the Covid-19 cases and to strike a balance between economy and health.
A check by Buletin Mutiara at the Bayan Baru food court and the wet market, situated in the southwest district of Penang, found that there were fewer market-goers and factory employees patronising the food court.
According to Bayan Baru Food Court Association chairman Roy Ang Poh Huat, the businesses in the food court are set to experience a further dip following the CMCO.
According to him, many of the hawkers have suffered about 70% losses following the pandemic.
He said the stall owners have no choice but to continue their businesses as usual to eke out a livelihood.
“We can see that this usually packed food court at Bayan Baru has now become quieter ever since Covid-19 cases were detected in the southwest district recently.
“In the past, especially during normal days, customers would have difficulty finding seats but now, most of the seats have no takers.
“The food court usually attracts factory workers, who come here to have their meal but most of them have been staying away.
“Many of them are from the multinational companies and they are working from home even before this CMCO.
“Right now, we can only hope for the best,” he said when met at Bayan Baru food court.
Ang added that patrons have been accustomed to following the basic standard operating procedures (SOPs).
“They have been following the regulations strictly all this while,” he said.
Bayan Baru Market Traders Association chairman Tan Ken Keong concurred with Ang that the CMCO implementation would further impact the hawkers and traders.
“I would like to commend the government and local authorities for enforcing CMCO to reduce the cases.
“We have no choice now but to pass through this challenging period,” he said while praising the police for patrolling the market to ensure everyone comply with the SOPs.
Besides that, the people at Taman Sri Nibong recreational park were seen practising physical distancing while enjoying their morning walk at the park.
Tai-chi and certain activities at the park have been temporarily cancelled until further notice.
Story by Edmund Lee
Pix by Law Suun Ting