Photo shows the SOP-compliant table arrangement at a hawker’s centre in Sungai Antu Market, Sibu.
SIBU: Preparations are underway to ensure that hawker centres in areas under the jurisdiction of Sibu Municipal Council (SMC) would comply with the State Disaster Management Committee (SDMC)’s standard operating procedure (SOP) for dine-in, taking effect tomorrow (May 12).
According to SMC Market and Petty Traders Standing Committee chairman Councillor Albert Tiang, the council would meet today to further discuss the SOP and ways to go about implementing it.
“The tables at the hawker’s stalls in Sibu Central Market and Sungai Antu (Market) have been rearranged, while those at Tiong Hua Road and Rejang Park markets would be done tomorrow (today).
“The tables are arranged in such a way that each is 2m away from the other,” Tiang told The Borneo Post yesterday.
Tiang also pointed out that there were several licensed hawkers who decided not to start operating on May 12, citing safety-consciousness as the key reason.
Tiang says for dine-in at the eateries, the tables are to be arranged in such a way that each is 2m away from the other, as shown in this photo of a food court in Sungai Antu Market, Sibu.
“This is fine – SMC will consider them taking unrecorded leave, as the CMCO (Conditional Movement Control Order) would be extended until June 9.
“So within this period, they can still take unrecorded leave and choose not to operate,” he said.
Tiang also pointed out that with the additional cash aid that every hawker and petty trader would receive under the ‘Bantuan Khas Sarawakku Sayang 3.0’ (BKSS 3.0) package, it would help lessen their financial burden.
Throughout the earlier Movement Control Order (MCO) period, eateries were only allowed to cater for food takeaways.
On scanning of temperature and recording of details of customers, Tiang said the matter would be discussed today.
He said the discussion would be about whether such exercise would be done by the security personnel in the area, or for the hawker’s committee to engage teams to perform it.