.jpg "An enforcement officer from the Ipoh City Council conducts temperature checks at Pasar Besar Ipoh on the first day of the conditional movement control order May 4, 2020. u00e2u20acu201d Picture by Farhan Najib")
IPOH, May 4 — Business owners in Ipoh are glad that most economic sectors have been allowed to resume operations under the conditional movement control order (CMCO) starting today.
While the crowd remained thin, markets, restaurants, coffee shops and shopping malls, business owners are positive that customers will slowly return.
Noor Shaariah Ismet Shah, 25 a vegetable trader from Pasar Besar Ipoh today welcomed the government’s decision to allow companies and businesses to resume their operations.
“Even though there were few customers today, it’s good that businesses have been allowed to open.
“Surely business will pick up soon and the country’s economy would improve,” she told Malay Mail.
Noor Shaariah, however, said the public should be responsible by following all the standard operating procedures (SOP) set by the government in order to ensure there is no further spike in Covid-19 cases.
“I hope the authorities will continue to be strict in monitoring the SOP so that people will follow it,” she said.
A vegetable trader from the same market, Jasni Abdul Jamal, 52, said that the drop in crowd today could be attributed to most returning to work today.
“We hope after this, businesses will return to normal as people would have their income back and can buy necessary items,” he said.
Yesterday, state secretary Datuk Ahmad Suaidi Abdul Rahim announced that Perak will adhere to the CMCO in all aspects except for food, sports and recreation sectors.
He had said that for the food sector, all restaurants, food courts, kiosks, food trucks, and roadside hawkers are still not allowed to operate except for takeaways and delivery.
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Ipoh’s famous Nasi Kandar Ayam Merah — also known as Nasi Ganja — manager Mohamed Nihmaphullah Syed Mustffa, 56, said that the eatery has decided not to allow dine-ins even though it was allowed to do so.
“The reason is we want to protect the safety of the customers and also our workers. It’s better to stick with takeaways, drive-through and delivery,” he said.
“Even if the government allows restaurants to dine-in after May 12, we will consider the matter only after Raya.
“Our business time is very short and to sanitise the restaurant daily after business will be tiring. Also, we don’t prefer taking personal details from customers,” he said.
Meanwhile, Restaurant New Hollywood, another local favourite, was empty despite several stalls open for business.
A lady who sells cakoi (fried pastry), who wishes to remain anonymous, said that it was better to not allow dine-ins at the moment.
Similar scenarios were spotted at several restaurants and coffee shops around Ipoh, with customers only allowed to pack their food.
Almost all restaurants and coffee shops were seen following the SOP with social distancing strictly enforced.
The Ipoh Parade Mall was visibly empty with only certain stores open. The rest were either closed or had staff carrying out cleaning work.
Customers are only allowed to enter the shopping mall via two main entrances with strict guidelines such as social distancing and temperature scans being adhered to.
Police officers were also seen conducting checks inside the shopping mall to make sure both customers and business operators followed SOP at all times.
One of the policemen told Malay Mail that police personnel have been posted at all the shopping malls in Ipoh to keep an eye on things throughout the CMCO.
