KOTA KINABALU, April 18 — Hawkers at Tanjung Aru Satu are asking Kota Kinabalu Ciity Hall (DBKK) that they be allowed to reopen the 64 stalls for business soon with adherence to the standard operating procedure (SOP) set by the government.

Pantai Tanjung Aru Satu Hawkers Association chairman, Dahlan Jahsiri, 55, said it would ensure good    management of the stalls and compliance with the SOP at Tanjung Aru.

He said hand sanitisers would be provided and each food stall would place a notice asking customers to follow the SOP.

"We are also to be assisted each day by DBKK and police in ensuring compliance with the SOP. With such efforts, we believe the compliance level will be at its best,” he told Bernama, here, today.

Yesterday, DBKK said in a statement that all night markets and Sunday markets in its areas of jurisdiction would be immediately closed for two weeks to curb the spread of Covid-19.  

Shamsudin Bora, 50, a food stall operator, is also asking that the hawker centre be allowed to reopen as its closure would adversely impact the hawkers there.

"The (closure) notice was given yesterday while we had already bought the foodstuff, some of which could go bad. If not sold, it would be a loss for us. 

"We are asking for sympathy from the government to allow us to reopen our stalls soonest possible as our business has already been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic,” he said.

His views were echoed by another hawker, Hanifah Nayan, 70, who said that most of the stalls at Tanjung Aru were selling food. — Bernama