Seberang Perai City Council orders roadside stalls to close during movement control order

GEORGE TOWN, March 23 — The Seberang Perai City Council (MBSP) has warned all roadside stalls to stop operations during the movement control order (MCO) or face strict enforcement action by the authorities.

MBSP Mayor Datuk Rozali Mohamud said the enforcement team will seize all items at any roadside stall that refuses to adhere to the order.

“We have been giving advice to the stalls over the last few days. From today onwards, there will not be any compromise. We will seize everything in the stall if they still fail to comply,” he said in a joint press conference with state exco Jagdeep Singh Deo and Penang Island City Council (MBPP) Mayor Datuk Yew Tung Seang.

The compliance rate of all businesses under MBSP was only at 52 per cent on the first day of the MCO (March 18) before dropping to 45 per cent on the second day and then to 40.5 per cent on the third day.

Rozali said the compliance level increased to 89 per cent on Saturday but dropped to 84 per cent on Sunday as more people tend to go out to the markets to buy supplies on Sundays.

“We have inspected a total 751 premises in Seberang Perai including 10 hotspots, the wet markets in Kepala Batas, Bagan Ajam, Kampung Baru, Sungai Dua, Taman Selamat, Taman Berjaya, Seberang Jaya, Taman Chai Leng, Penanti and Bandar Tasek Mutiara.

He said five of the wet markets have already complied with the one-metre social distancing requirement while another five are in the process of complying.

“We are imposing social distancing markers in all 30 markets in Seberang Perai,” he said.

He added that the city council will disinfect the floors and walls of all market complexes every two days while the railings will be disinfected every hour.

“Each stall owner will have to clean and wash their respective stalls on their own as they do not want us to disinfect the stalls for fear of the chemicals affecting their vegetables,” he said.

Meanwhile, Jagdeep said all wet markets in the state will have to ensure there is only one entrance and one exit to limit the number of people entering the premises.

He said there are a total 56 wet markets in the state and these premises have to be monitored to ensure social distancing between marketgoers.

He also said all supermarkets and hypermarkets have been advised to ensure only one entrance and one exit point so that they can control the number of people entering the premises and reduce crowds.

Today, both city councils will be conducting joint enforcement with the police and army personnel.