SELANGOR is currently under the movement control order. Under the MCO, most amenities are allowed to operate only from 6am to 8pm. This includes, among others, restaurants, food trucks, food stalls and other eateries where only takeaway is allowed.
However, for the daily markets and farmer’s markets, the operating hours are from 7am to 2pm. I am interested to know why market operating hours commence at 7am and not 6am like most other amenities?
I was at a wet market in Taman Megah, Petaling Jaya, on Saturday morning at 6.40am. There were already two long queues of about 100 people each. The physical distancing in the queues left much to be desired and was even chaotic at times. Physical distancing is critical to curb the spread of Covid-19. Making people line up to wait for the market to open is not a preventative strategy. Instead, it promotes spreading of the virus.
If the operating hours of the daily market remained at the usual 6am to 2pm, people would go to the market the way they always do and there would not be long queues. Compliance with physical distancing would not be an issue.
I hope the authorities will look into this and revert market operating hours to 6am to 2pm. Allow us as citizens to play our part to overcome the pandemic as soon as possible.
WONG SOO KAN ,Petaling Jaya
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