Ismail Sabri: Eateries, supermarkets to only operate from 8am to 8pm from April 1

PUTRAJAYA: Business hours for eateries and supermarkets will be more restricted during the second phase of the movement control order (MCO) which comes into effect on April 1.

Defence Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said these business establishments will only be allowed to operate from 8am to 8pm.

Food delivery services will also be restricted to the same business hours during the second phase of the MCO.

“During the second phase of the MCO, which begins on April 1, the government will be increasing the restrictions.

“Currently, we find that some supermarkets operate until midnight.

“Therefore, we have decided in today’s meeting that supermarkets as well as restaurants can only operate from 8am to 8pm.

“Eateries will continue to be restricted to take-away services only.

“The same goes with petrol stations and food delivery services. We will standardise the operating hours from 8am to 8pm, ” said Ismail Sabri at the daily Covid19 (non-health) press conference here Monday (March 30).

For delivery services, Ismail Sabri said deliverers are encouraged to leave their food outside the house of customers.

This is to prevent customers from meeting them.

“We should try to avoid contact with other people, in order to reduce the chances of spreading the virus, ” he said.

As for public transportation, the hours of 6am-10am and 5pm-10pm will remain the same in the second phase of MCO.

Taxis and e-hailing services can operate non-stop from 6am to 10pm.