SRI Bandar wet market, one of the busiest and crowded markets in Butterworth before the enforcement of the movement control order (MCO), is now a good example where compliance with the MCO is concerned.
Bagan Dalam assemblyman M. Satees said it was hard in the early days of the MCO to educate the traders and market-goers to take some preventive measures.
“But with the consistent efforts and strict monitoring from the Bagan Dalam MPKK (Village Community Management Council) and from the Seberang Perai City Council (MBSP) enforcement team, the people in the market have started to adhere to the MCO.
“And as we can see today, they understood and cooperated well with the authorities by taking preventive measures,” Satees told reporters during his visit to the market this morning.
He was there with his team to distribute some 1,000 face masks to the market-goers and traders today.
“We will continue to distribute the face masks to other locations as well in Bagan Dalam,” he added.
He said his service centre has started to distribute groceries and food to the needy in the Bagan Dalam area.
“Until today, about 200 households have received the aid to sustain themselves during the MCO period here.
“And we will continue to do so even after the MCO period,” Satees added.
Like other markets in Seberang Perai, Satees said social distancing was stressed at Sri Bandar as markers were put on the floor to remind them of the 1m gap rule from each other.
Some banners too were hung around the market to carry a message of the importance of social distancing in the government’s effort to tackle the Covid-19 pandemic.
Most of the market-goers, who were wearing face mask, underwent body temperature check and had their hands sanitised before being allowed to enter the market.
They were permitted to enter the market in small numbers at a time to prevent overcrowding.
Only one point was for entry and another point for exit.
Overall, the compliance rate of the MCO in Seberang Perai has been improving day by day since it was enforced on March 18.
The MCO is now into its 22nd day and will end on April 14 after being extended from March 31 to contain the spread of the coronavirus.
Story by Riadz Akmal
Pix by Ahmad Adil Muhamad
Video by Darwina Mohd Daud