MCO: NSC should review two-per-table rule for larger tables, says Lee Lam Thye

PETALING JAYA: The National Security Council (NSC) should consider reviewing the two-person-per-table ruling at eateries with large tables, says Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye.

"Tables at some restaurants vary in sizes and what can be done is adjusting the current ruling for larger tables.

"It is not practical for a large table to accommodate only two persons who are seated 2m apart," he said when contacted on Sunday (Feb 14).

Lee, who is the Alliance for Safe Community chairman, also described that the two-per-table ruling led to absurd situations involving families intending to dine out.

"For example, if there is a family of four, it would be absurd for their children to sit at separate tables if they are from the same household.

"There is no need to separate them if they are already living in the same house and are healthy," he said.

He added that eateries are already bound by standard operating procedures (SOPs) such as registration of customers and ensuring physical distancing to ensure crowd control.

"The relaxation of the ruling should cover all restaurants with large tables and not be confined to festive seasons such as Chinese New Year," he added.

Malaysia Singapore Coffeeshop Proprietors’ General Association president Datuk Ho Su Mong said the SOP to limit the number of diners at eateries is understandable under the present circumstances.

"The most important thing now is to break the transmission of the virus through control.

"The smaller eateries and coffee shops are okay with the two-per-table ruling as they are able to keep up with their business.

"However, the government should now consider relaxing the ruling for restaurants with large tables," he said when contacted.

He said that most restaurants are already ensuring crowd control and should be allowed to adjust the seating capacity based on table size.

The association has some 20,000 members, of which 6,000 are restaurant owners in Sabah and Sarawak.

Prohibition against dining in at eateries was first imposed under the movement control order in March last year but was subsequently relaxed to allow two people per table in June during the recovery MCO period.

The ruling was further relaxed under the conditional MCO on Oct 15 to allow four diners per table with restrictions on the number of diners lifted in early December last year.

Dining in was prohibited under the current MCO 2.0 that was implemented in January this year but was relaxed to allow two persons per table on Feb 9.