GEORGE TOWN, May 7 — Roadside stalls at four Penang wet markets will be allowed to reopen from tomorrow but with social distancing rules strictly in place.
Penang Island City Council (MBPP) Mayor Datuk Yew Tung Seang said these included stalls at the markets in Air Itam, Perak Road, Jelutong and Pulau Tikus.
However, only half of the existing registered stalls are allowed to operate on a daily rotation basis.
Over in the Air Itam Market, half of the existing 140 registered stalls will be allowed to operate on a daily rotation basis.
“About half of the stalls will be open and we will ensure the stalls are at a distance apart with social distancing rules enforced,” he said after visiting the market with Air Itam assemblyman Joseph Ng.
He said the stalls allowed to open will rotate daily, meaning about 70 stalls that open tomorrow will close on the next day to allow the remaining 70 stalls to open.
He said all stalls in the markets will still have to continue observing social distancing rules and the National Security Council’s (NSC) standard operating procedures (SOPs).
The city council has also allowed the road leading to the Air Itam Market to be reopened from 12pm until 6am daily.
The stretch of road along Jalan Paya Terubong, starting from the Air Itam police station until the junction of Jalan Kampung Pisang, had been closed to traffic on March 30.
Today, the road was opened to traffic from 12pm onwards and it will be closed to traffic only from 6am to 12pm daily.
In line with phase two of the Penang Gradual Recovery Strategy, almost all businesses are allowed to open tomorrow onwards.
The city council has also extended the operation hours for all businesses that are allowed to open tomorrow.
All restaurants and eateries can now open from 7am to 10pm daily while petrol stations can open from 6am to midnight.
Supermarkets, hypermarkets, grocery stores and mini markets are allowed to operate from 10am to 10pm daily.
Other businesses such as pet stores, optometrists, stationery stores, electronic and electrical stores and furniture shops are allowed to operate from 10am to 8pm.
Yew said all business premises must adhere to SOPs issued and social distancing rules.
All businesses must conduct temperature checks, control the number of customers entering their premises, social distance of one metre, encourage the use of face masks, regular sanitisation and use of hand sanitisers and promote the use of cashless transactions.
