THE Seberang Perai City Council (MBSP) is coming down hard on traders and their workers at the Bukit Mertajam and Sri Rambai public markets who have not been vaccinated or have not registered for vaccination following a spike of Covid-19 cases, especially in Central Seberang Perai.
MBSP mayor Datuk Rozali Mohamud said they would not be allowed to conduct business at both the markets from Aug 21 (Saturday) when he announced a Traders Vaccination Outreach Programme that was specially approved by the state government for Bukit Mertajam and Sri Rambai traders and workers at a press conference today.
“MBSP will only allow only those who have been vaccinated or have registered for vaccination through MySejahtera application or the Traders Vaccination Outreach Programme and got the appointment for vaccination only to operate,” Rozali said.
“Bukit Mertajam and Sri Rambai public markets have been identified as having a high Covid-19 infection rate. In fact, the Bukit Mertajam public market was closed twice, from May 31 to June 9 and from Aug 4 to Aug 13 this year.”
As such, Rozali said the Traders Vaccination Outreach Programme gives vaccination priority to the traders at Bukit Mertajam and Sri Rambai public markets which are now under the spot light in Central Seberang Perai. He thanked the Penang government for approving the programme.
The programme also covers business premises, coffee shops and food courts around the two markets.
Besides that, he said the programme is also to instil confidence in marketgoers to visit the markets and ensure that the two markets do not contribute to the spread of Covid-19 cases.
Rozali said the programme would be held on Aug 21 and 22 for Phase 1 and Aug 28 and 29 for Phase 2 at the Multipurpose Hall, Land and District Office in Central Seberang Perai from 9am to 4pm.
He urged all the traders and workers of the Bukit Mertajam and Sri Rambai public markets to register at the outreach programme and get an appointment or to register under the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme through the MySejahtera.
Rozali also gave a stern warning to traders, hawkers and workers who have not given feedback from survey conducted by MBSP, saying that MBSP does not have information on the exact number of workers or assistants in both markets.
To avoid any enforcement action, he advised them to provide the feedback by visiting https://qrgo.page.link/vVy6z or scan the QR code that has been provided in the Traders Vaccination Programme.
Story by K.H. Ong
Pix courtesy of MBSP