KUCHING: Food vendors’ trading hours will be from 7am to 7pm and not from 3pm to 10pm.
This latest ruling is a revision of the Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (SDMC)’s earlier decision regarding the sale of food during the Ramadan month.
Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said the committee made the decision after taking into consideration constructive feedback from the community via social media regarding its announcement on Wednesday (April 22) that food vendors operating from within their home compounds, hotels, restaurants, and fast food outlets would be allowed to sell takeaway food from 3pm to 10pm during the Ramadan month.
“With this revised directive (of 7am to 7pm), customers will have to place their order online be it through WhatsApp or other applications.
“We will now also follow the movement control order (MCO) timing restrictions from 7am to 7pm for these food sales, which can be delivered anytime within this period,” he said at SDMC’s Covid-19 daily update press conference yesterday.
He said that those who wish to register to trade online could utilise applications such as Helpy Services, Grab Food, Food Panda, and other food supply applications which provide delivery services.
At the same time, he said sales would not be limited to these applications as vendors could communicate with customers through WhatsApp and so on to arrange sale and delivery.
“To ensure safety and hygiene in food preparation, we urge food vendors to register with the local council in their respective areas,” said Abdul Karim.
He also urged vendors and the public to maintain good practices in preparing and delivering food, such as wearing face masks.
He said that restaurants could also operate and sell food as long as this was done online.
“We still do not allow Ramadan markets and bazaars as instructed by the federal government. We do not want customers to gather at certain places to purchase food,” he said.
He hoped that this revised directive would help curb the spread of Covid-19.
