THE Seberang Perai City Council (MBSP) will assist Ramadan bazaar traders to do their business online since all Ramadan bazaars have been cancelled in Penang as well as several other states to prevent the spread of Covid-19.
MBSP mayor Datuk Rozali Mohamud said they would decide on whether to create their own portal or a dashboard website to list down all the existing online portals for the traders to choose from.
The Penang Island City Council (MBPP) launched an online platform, known as Jom Beli Online, or JBO@MBPP, for the MBPP hawkers and Ramadan bazaar traders two days ago for them to sell their food with DeliverEat as its delivery partner.
“Lately, there have been many online portals. We will definitely encourage the Ramadan bazaar traders to go online to sell their food during the fasting month.
“But I will have a virtual meeting with my MBSP councillors to discuss whether to come out with another portal in the market or just a dashboard with all the existing online portals. I don’t want them (traders) to be confused,” Rozali said after attending a press conference at Chowrasta Market in Penang Road today.
He was at the market together with MBPP mayor Datuk Yew Tung Seang and MBPP secretary Datuk Addnan Mohd Razali to accompany state executive councillor Jagdeep Singh Deo during his spot check on the market in the ongoing movement control order (MCO).
Rozali said the cancellation of the Ramadan bazaars at 42 locations in Seberang Perai would affect 3,027 traders.
Besides conducting the spot check, Jagdeep also distributed face masks to the traders and market-goers.
Most important of all was that he wanted to ensure that social distancing was practised by every one at the market.
Jagdeep praised both MBPP and MBSP for achieving the MCO compliance rate of 99.1% and 99.08% in their respectively areas.
He said out of 44,873 premises in the island checked by MBPP, 44,460 adhered to the MCO while in Seberang Perai, out of the 63,552 premises checked by MBSP, 62,999 obeyed the order.
“We cannot achieve such a high compliance rate, nearly 100 per cent, if we do not have the cooperation of Penangites,” Jagdeep said.
“I hope for the continued cooperation from Penangites so that this compliance rate which is very positive can continue.
“We are waging a war against this pandemic, not just here in Penang but throughout the world. So, we must continue to be steadfast and strong, and comply with this movement control order.
“The safety and health security of our people is No. One. I would like to thank everyone on our front lines and also the people of Penang for their cooperation.
“And I would to stress that the state will not compromise on the public health and security.”
Story and pix by K.H. Ong