SIBU: The Sibu Municipal Council (SMC) will submit a proposal to the Sibu Division Disaster Management Committee (DDMC) to consider the reopening of the Sibu Night Market and the Sibu Weekend Market in the near future.
Once the proposal is accepted, SDDMC will extend the request to the Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) to decide whether it could operate or not, said SMC chief Clarence Ting Ing Horh.
“The proposal, among others, prohibits traders from the red zone from trading as part of strict compliance with the standard operating procedures (SOPs).
“The decision to submit this proposal was made during the standing committee meeting recently,” he said here yesterday after getting his second dose of the Covid-19 vaccine at Lanang Health Clinic.
The night market and other markets have been closed since January 16 following the implementation of the movement control order (MCO).
“Based on the zoning system under SMC, Sibu is divided into 34 zones. Therefore, those who are under the CBC (central business centre) like Taman Rama-rama, which houses the night market and Jalan Indah, the market location is not under the red zone; therefore we ask for SDMC’s approval for the reopening of these markets.
“However, any trader living in the red zone under the administrative area will be prohibited from trading in these markets in the future,” said Ting.
He explained the proposal for the reopening of the night market and the Sibu Weekend market will be submitted to Sibu DDMC to be extended to SDMC for consideration.
The council only proposes but it’s up to the SDMC to decide, he pointed out.
“We are trying our best to help because we understand that the closure of both markets for too long will have an impact on their traders,” Ting explained.
He had previously received many requests from hawkers in both markets who requested that the council to resume their opening for business.
He said, the council has no council had no power to order their business resumption without any agreement or application made through Sibu DDMC and then SDMC.
“However, after making some considerations, the council agreed to recommend this proposal. It also went through several procedures and considerations related to the Covid-19 situation in Sibu.
“Hopefully the hawkers are patient and we really understand their difficult situation during this time,” he said.
