‘Four diners to a big table OK’

On watch: Personnel from a Covid-19 observations team speaking to eatery patrons in Kuala Lumpur. — RAJA FAISAL HISHAN/The Star

PETALING JAYA: The National Security Council has reviewed its earlier decision of limiting only two diners per table to a maximum of four in areas under conditional movement control order (MCO), said Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

The announcement by the Senior Minister comes a day after the start of the two-week conditional MCO in Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya on Wednesday.

“Dining in restaurants is allowed, subject to standard operation procedures and is limited to two persons per table but if the table is big, up to a maximum of four persons per table, ” he said during his daily Covid-19 briefing yesterday.

Current conditions were similar to that used during the conditional MCO in May which was subsequently relaxed in June under the recovery MCO period, he said.

“We allowed dine-in during the previous conditional MCO but limited it to a maximum of four individuals per table.

“But under the recovery MCO period, we allowed tables to be joined together and for big tables to allow three-to-eight individuals to dine together as long as there was physical distancing, ” he said.

The clarification comes in the wake of confusion among restaurants and eatery operators following uncertainty over the size of tables for the condition to be applicable or whether two or more diners were allowed for big or long tables.

Malaysia Singapore Coffeeshop Proprietors’ General Association president Datuk Ho Su Mong welcomed the revision.

“There were worries among members over the two-per-table condition earlier. We are glad that the minister responded swiftly to clarify the matter to allow four diners to a table, ” he said.

Ho hoped the government will continue to revise conditions under the MCO to help ease difficulties faced by coffeeshop operators.

Malaysian Indian Restaurant Owners Association (Primas) president T. Muthusamy said the announcement was timely as many restaurant operators had seen business drop by 40% since the start of the conditional MCO.

“We appreciate that the government is allowing a maximum of four diners per table depending on table size. This will help in restaurants getting more customers, ” he said.

Malaysian Muslim Restaurant Owners’ Association (Presma) president Datuk Jawahar Ali Taib Khan said he was relieved with the news.

“Business had dropped by over 40% since Wednesday. We will at least be able to boost sales now as there can be more dine-in customers, ” he said when contacted.

Malaysia Retail Chain Association (MRCA) president Shirley Tay also said it was not reasonable to limit the number of diners to two per table if the tables are large enough to ensure physical distancing.

“Once seated, diners should maintain a distance of one metre apart.

Under the conditional MCO period in May, the National Security Council (NSC) allowed restaurants to serve dine-in patrons but with a maximum capacity of four per table.

But the regulation was reviewed the following month, allowing no fixed number of people to dine at a table in restaurants and eateries as long as physical distancing was maintained among diners.