KUALA LUMPUR, April 3 — Ramadan bazaars will not be allowed as long as the movement control order (MCO) is still in place, said Defence Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaacob today.
Following a discussion today, the minister said it had been decided that if the MCO is lifted, the National Security Council (NSC) will draw up a new standard operating procedure (SOP).
“The NSC will decide on a post-MCO SOP. But if there is an extension or another MCO is still in place, no Ramadan bazaars will be allowed at all,” he said.
The directive comes after authorities mulled over the possibility of going ahead with the bazaars, albeit with new SOPs or methods such as e-bazaars or drive-throughs.
Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah had said that the Health Ministry would allow Ramadan bazaars to take place if the SOPs are followed.
Several states, including Kedah, Selangor, Terengganu, Melaka and Penang, however, have already announced that Ramadan bazaars will be cancelled this year.
Ramadan bazaars are a big cultural and economic opportunity for many households in Malaysia, but also are known for attracting large crowds.
The MCO was initially supposed to take place for two weeks from March 18 to March 31 but was later extended by another two weeks until April 14.
Ramadan is expected to start on April 23, but it has yet to be announced whether the MCO will be extended again amidst a continued detection of Covid-19 cases across the country.
