THE Seberang Perai City Council (MBSP) has given a stern warning to Mak Mandin Market that it would be shut down if there is a lack of compliance with the movement control order (MCO).
MBSP mayor Datuk Rozali Mohamud, who was at the market today with Bagan Jermal assemblyman Soon Lip Chee to monitor the situation and distribute face masks, said the traders and residents should discipline themselves and obey the MCO.
“If they do not follow the MCO, the MBSP will not hesitate to close the market for the safety of all people,” Rozali said at the markeplace.
“They have to discipline themselves, like observing the 1m social distancing, wearing face mask, completing their marketing quickly and then returning home immediately.
“If the market is shut down, it is the traders and residents who will face difficulties and suffer.”
Rozali said when there was no check or monitoring, the people at the marketplace were back to their old ways and did not comply with the MCO.
“I have given them a warning two weeks ago. So, I came today to explain to them that this Covid-19 is a very dangerous disease and can spread easily. And I appeal to them to obey the rules.
“If we can control the situation on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, I think there won’t be a problem during rest of the weekdays. I will continue to monitor the situation.”
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Rozali added that three MBSP officers were stationed at the Mak Mandin Market because it is only a small market that started by the roadside whereas at other bigger markets, they could be nine to 15 MBSP personnel on duty.
Rozali said Seberang Perai has achieved a 99% MCO compliance rate since MBSP has checked on the 42 existing markets there.
Soon said he had proposed for the market to be upgraded at a cost of RM1.5 million and hoped that the project’s planning stage could be carried out this year.
On another matter, Rozali said the one-off RM500 payment had been disbursed to over 4,000 out of the 6,957 licensed hawkers and petty traders in Seberang Perai. It comes under the state’s economic stimulus aid package to help them tide over the difficult times.
While he did not know why the remaining 30% have yet to apply for the aid, Rozali said MBSP has even received applications from petty traders from Kuala Lumpur, Ipoh and Taiping.
“We have rejected these applications from the other states. For those in Seberang Perai who have yet to apply for the aid, they can do so via www.mbsp.gov.my. If they qualify, they will receive the aid with three days.”
Rozali also said MBSP had set up an e-portal, called e-Bazaar Ramadan, to help Ramadan traders to conduct their business online since Ramadan bazaar is not permitted this year in Penang and several other states because of the spread of the coronavirus.
He said the e-Bazaar Ramadan would have a catalogue of all the websites, Facebook pages and WhatsApp groups of all Ramadan bazaar hawkers in Seberang Perai.
Story by K.H. Ong
Pix by Eng Kok Wei